Associations of in Utero Exposure to Perfluorinated Alkyl Acids with Human Semen Quality and Reproductive Hormones in Adult Men

Anne Vested; Cecilia Høst Ramlau-Hansen; Sjurdur Frodi Olsen; Jens Peter Bonde; Susanne Lund Kristensen; Thorhallur Ingi Halldorsson; Georg Becher; Line Småstuen Haug; Emil Hagen Ernst; Gunnar Toft

doi:10.1289/ehp.1205118

Associations of in Utero Exposure to Perfluorinated Alkyl Acids with Human Semen Quality and Reproductive Hormones in Adult Men

Anne Vested, Cecilia Høst Ramlau-Hansen, Sjurdur Frodi Olsen, Jens Peter Bonde, Susanne Lund Kristensen, Thorhallur Ingi Halldorsson, Georg Becher, Line Småstuen Haug, Emil Hagen Ernst, Gunnar Toft

125 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Perfluorinated alkyl acids (PFAAs), persistent chemicals with unique water-, dirt-, and oil-repellent properties, are suspected of having endocrine-disrupting activity. The PFAA compounds perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) are found globally in humans; because they readily cross the placental barrier, in utero exposure may be a cause for concern. Objectives: We investigated whether in utero exposure to PFOA and PFOS affects semen quality, testicular volume, and reproductive hormone levels. Methods: We recruited 169 male offspring (19-21 years of age) from a pregnancy cohort established in Aarhus, Denmark, in 1988-1989, corresponding to 37.6% of the eligible sons. Each man provided a semen sample and a blood sample. Semen samples were analyzed for sperm concentration, total sperm count, motility, and morphology, and blood samples were used to measure reproductive hormones. As a proxy for in utero exposure, PFOA and PFOS were measured in maternal blood samples from pregnancy week 30. Results: Multivariable linear regression analysis suggested that in utero exposure to PFOA was associated with lower adjusted sperm concentration (ptrend = 0.01) and total sperm count (ptrend = 0.001) and with higher adjusted levels of luteinizing hormone (ptrend = 0.03) and follicle- stimulating hormone (ptrend = 0.01). PFOS did not appear to be associated with any of the outcomes assessed, before or after adjustment. Conclusions: The results suggest that in utero exposure to PFOA may affect adult human male semen quality and reproductive hormone levels.

Original language	Undefined/Unknown
Journal	Environmental Health Perspectives
Volume	121
Issue number	4
Pages (from-to)	453-8, 458e1-5
Number of pages	6
ISSN	0091-6765
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1205118
Publication status	Published - Apr 2013

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10.1289/ehp.1205118

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Vested, A., Ramlau-Hansen, C. H., Olsen, S. F., Bonde, J. P., Kristensen, S. L., Halldorsson, T. I., Becher, G., Haug, L. S., Ernst, E. H., & Toft, G. (2013). Associations of in Utero Exposure to Perfluorinated Alkyl Acids with Human Semen Quality and Reproductive Hormones in Adult Men. Environmental Health Perspectives, 121(4), 453-8, 458e1-5. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1205118

Associations of in Utero Exposure to Perfluorinated Alkyl Acids with Human Semen Quality and Reproductive Hormones in Adult Men. / Vested, Anne; Ramlau-Hansen, Cecilia Høst; Olsen, Sjurdur Frodi et al.

In: Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 121, No. 4, 04.2013, p. 453-8, 458e1-5.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Vested, A, Ramlau-Hansen, CH, Olsen, SF, Bonde, JP, Kristensen, SL, Halldorsson, TI, Becher, G, Haug, LS, Ernst, EH & Toft, G 2013, 'Associations of in Utero Exposure to Perfluorinated Alkyl Acids with Human Semen Quality and Reproductive Hormones in Adult Men', Environmental Health Perspectives, vol. 121, no. 4, pp. 453-8, 458e1-5. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1205118

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title = "Associations of in Utero Exposure to Perfluorinated Alkyl Acids with Human Semen Quality and Reproductive Hormones in Adult Men",

abstract = "Background: Perfluorinated alkyl acids (PFAAs), persistent chemicals with unique water-, dirt-, and oil-repellent properties, are suspected of having endocrine-disrupting activity. The PFAA compounds perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) are found globally in humans; because they readily cross the placental barrier, in utero exposure may be a cause for concern. Objectives: We investigated whether in utero exposure to PFOA and PFOS affects semen quality, testicular volume, and reproductive hormone levels. Methods: We recruited 169 male offspring (19-21 years of age) from a pregnancy cohort established in Aarhus, Denmark, in 1988-1989, corresponding to 37.6% of the eligible sons. Each man provided a semen sample and a blood sample. Semen samples were analyzed for sperm concentration, total sperm count, motility, and morphology, and blood samples were used to measure reproductive hormones. As a proxy for in utero exposure, PFOA and PFOS were measured in maternal blood samples from pregnancy week 30. Results: Multivariable linear regression analysis suggested that in utero exposure to PFOA was associated with lower adjusted sperm concentration (ptrend = 0.01) and total sperm count (ptrend = 0.001) and with higher adjusted levels of luteinizing hormone (ptrend = 0.03) and follicle- stimulating hormone (ptrend = 0.01). PFOS did not appear to be associated with any of the outcomes assessed, before or after adjustment. Conclusions: The results suggest that in utero exposure to PFOA may affect adult human male semen quality and reproductive hormone levels.",

author = "Anne Vested and Ramlau-Hansen, {Cecilia H{\o}st} and Olsen, {Sjurdur Frodi} and Bonde, {Jens Peter} and Kristensen, {Susanne Lund} and Halldorsson, {Thorhallur Ingi} and Georg Becher and Haug, {Line Sm{\aa}stuen} and Ernst, {Emil Hagen} and Gunnar Toft",

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doi = "10.1289/ehp.1205118",

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T1 - Associations of in Utero Exposure to Perfluorinated Alkyl Acids with Human Semen Quality and Reproductive Hormones in Adult Men

AU - Vested, Anne

AU - Ramlau-Hansen, Cecilia Høst

AU - Olsen, Sjurdur Frodi

AU - Bonde, Jens Peter

AU - Kristensen, Susanne Lund

AU - Halldorsson, Thorhallur Ingi

AU - Becher, Georg

AU - Haug, Line Småstuen

AU - Ernst, Emil Hagen

AU - Toft, Gunnar

PY - 2013/4

Y1 - 2013/4

N2 - Background: Perfluorinated alkyl acids (PFAAs), persistent chemicals with unique water-, dirt-, and oil-repellent properties, are suspected of having endocrine-disrupting activity. The PFAA compounds perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) are found globally in humans; because they readily cross the placental barrier, in utero exposure may be a cause for concern. Objectives: We investigated whether in utero exposure to PFOA and PFOS affects semen quality, testicular volume, and reproductive hormone levels. Methods: We recruited 169 male offspring (19-21 years of age) from a pregnancy cohort established in Aarhus, Denmark, in 1988-1989, corresponding to 37.6% of the eligible sons. Each man provided a semen sample and a blood sample. Semen samples were analyzed for sperm concentration, total sperm count, motility, and morphology, and blood samples were used to measure reproductive hormones. As a proxy for in utero exposure, PFOA and PFOS were measured in maternal blood samples from pregnancy week 30. Results: Multivariable linear regression analysis suggested that in utero exposure to PFOA was associated with lower adjusted sperm concentration (ptrend = 0.01) and total sperm count (ptrend = 0.001) and with higher adjusted levels of luteinizing hormone (ptrend = 0.03) and follicle- stimulating hormone (ptrend = 0.01). PFOS did not appear to be associated with any of the outcomes assessed, before or after adjustment. Conclusions: The results suggest that in utero exposure to PFOA may affect adult human male semen quality and reproductive hormone levels.

AB - Background: Perfluorinated alkyl acids (PFAAs), persistent chemicals with unique water-, dirt-, and oil-repellent properties, are suspected of having endocrine-disrupting activity. The PFAA compounds perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) are found globally in humans; because they readily cross the placental barrier, in utero exposure may be a cause for concern. Objectives: We investigated whether in utero exposure to PFOA and PFOS affects semen quality, testicular volume, and reproductive hormone levels. Methods: We recruited 169 male offspring (19-21 years of age) from a pregnancy cohort established in Aarhus, Denmark, in 1988-1989, corresponding to 37.6% of the eligible sons. Each man provided a semen sample and a blood sample. Semen samples were analyzed for sperm concentration, total sperm count, motility, and morphology, and blood samples were used to measure reproductive hormones. As a proxy for in utero exposure, PFOA and PFOS were measured in maternal blood samples from pregnancy week 30. Results: Multivariable linear regression analysis suggested that in utero exposure to PFOA was associated with lower adjusted sperm concentration (ptrend = 0.01) and total sperm count (ptrend = 0.001) and with higher adjusted levels of luteinizing hormone (ptrend = 0.03) and follicle- stimulating hormone (ptrend = 0.01). PFOS did not appear to be associated with any of the outcomes assessed, before or after adjustment. Conclusions: The results suggest that in utero exposure to PFOA may affect adult human male semen quality and reproductive hormone levels.

U2 - 10.1289/ehp.1205118

DO - 10.1289/ehp.1205118

M3 - Tidsskriftartikel

C2 - 23360585

SN - 0091-6765

VL - 121

SP - 453-8, 458e1-5

JO - Environmental Health Perspectives

JF - Environmental Health Perspectives

IS - 4

ER -