Environmental hexachlorobenzene exposure and human male reproductive function

TY - JOUR

T1 - Environmental hexachlorobenzene exposure and human male reproductive function

AU - Specht, Ina Olmer

AU - Bonde, Jens Peter

AU - Toft, Gunnar

AU - Giwercman, Aleksander

AU - Spanò, Marcello

AU - Bizzaro, Davide

AU - Manicardi, Gian Carlo

AU - Jönsson, Bo A G

AU - Robbins, Wendie A

N1 - Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PY - 2015/12/1

Y1 - 2015/12/1

N2 - Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) is a persistent environmental fungicide that may disrupt androgen regulation. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between HCB levels and biomarkers of male reproductive function. 589 Spouses of pregnant women from Greenland, Poland and Ukraine were enrolled between 2002 and 2004. The men provided semen and blood samples and were interviewed. HCB was measured in serum by gas chromatography. The mean serum concentrations of HCB were higher in Ukraine (182.3ng/g lipid) and Greenland (79.0ng/g lipid) compared to Poland (14.2ng/g lipid). Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and free androgen index (FAI) were associated with HCB in men from Ukraine and Poland. This study spanning large differences in environmental HCB exposure levels shows a positive association for SHBG and negative association for FAI with high serum levels of HCB in fertile men, but without major consequences for semen quality and the Inuit study population.

AB - Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) is a persistent environmental fungicide that may disrupt androgen regulation. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between HCB levels and biomarkers of male reproductive function. 589 Spouses of pregnant women from Greenland, Poland and Ukraine were enrolled between 2002 and 2004. The men provided semen and blood samples and were interviewed. HCB was measured in serum by gas chromatography. The mean serum concentrations of HCB were higher in Ukraine (182.3ng/g lipid) and Greenland (79.0ng/g lipid) compared to Poland (14.2ng/g lipid). Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and free androgen index (FAI) were associated with HCB in men from Ukraine and Poland. This study spanning large differences in environmental HCB exposure levels shows a positive association for SHBG and negative association for FAI with high serum levels of HCB in fertile men, but without major consequences for semen quality and the Inuit study population.

U2 - 10.1016/j.reprotox.2015.07.074

DO - 10.1016/j.reprotox.2015.07.074

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26210665

SN - 0890-6238

VL - 58

SP - 8

EP - 14

JO - Reproductive Toxicology

JF - Reproductive Toxicology

ER -