| Title: | "Molecular Alterations and Severe Abnormalities in Spermatozoa of Young Men Living in the 'Valley of Sacco River' (Latium, Italy): A Preliminary Study" |
| Author(s): | Perrone P; Lettieri G; Marinaro C; Longo V; Capone S; Forleo A; Pappalardo S; Montano L; Piscopo M; |
| Address: | "Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 21, 80126 Naples, Italy. Department of Precision Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', 80138 Naples, Italy. Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems (IMM), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 73100 Lecce, Italy. Reproduction and Fertility Center, Via A. Vitozzi, 50, 00128 Rome, Italy. Andrology Unit and Service of Lifestyle Medicine in UroAndrology, Local Health Authority (ASL) Salerno, Coordination Unit of the Network for Environmental and Reproductive Health (EcoFoodFertility Project),Oliveto Citra Hospital, 84020 Oliveto Citra, Italy. PhD Program in Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy" |
| Journal Title: | Int J Environ Res Public Health |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1660-4601 (Electronic) 1661-7827 (Print) 1660-4601 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "The Valley of Sacco River (VSR) (Latium, Italy) is an area with large-scale industrial chemical production that has led over time to significant contamination of soil and groundwater with various industrial pollutants, such as organic pesticides, dioxins, organic solvents, heavy metals, and particularly, volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In the present study, we investigated the potential impact of VOCs on the spermatozoa of healthy young males living in the VSR, given the prevalent presence of several VOCs in the semen of these individuals. To accomplish this, spermiograms were conducted followed by molecular analyses to assess the content of sperm nuclear basic proteins (SNBPs) in addition to the protamine-histone ratio and DNA binding of these proteins. We found drastic alterations in the spermatozoa of these young males living in the VSR. Alterations were seen in sperm morphology, sperm motility, sperm count, and protamine/histone ratios, and included significant reductions in SNBP-DNA binding capacity. Our results provide preliminary indications of a possible correlation between the observed alterations and the presence of specific VOCs" |
| Keywords: | Histones/chemistry Humans Italy/epidemiology Male Nuclear Proteins/chemistry Protamines/analysis/genetics/metabolism Rivers Semen *Sperm Motility *Spermatozoa/abnormalities/metabolism *Volatile Organic Compounds/adverse effects/toxicity Water Pollution/ad; |
| Notes: | "MedlinePerrone, Pasquale Lettieri, Gennaro Marinaro, Carmela Longo, Valentina Capone, Simonetta Forleo, Angiola Pappalardo, Sebastiana Montano, Luigi Piscopo, Marina eng Switzerland 2022/09/10 Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Sep 3; 19(17):11023. doi: 10.3390/ijerph191711023" |
