Abstract
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are manmade synthetic chemicals which have been in existence for over 70 years. Though they are currently being phased out, their persistence in the environment is widespread. There is increasing evidence linking PFAS exposure to health effects, an issue of concern since PFAS such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) bioaccumulate in humans, with a half-life of years. Many epidemiological studies suggest that, worldwide, semen quality has decreased over the past several decades. One of the most worrying effects of PFOS and PFOA is their associations with lower testosterone levels, similar to clinical observations in infertile men. This review thus focuses on PFOS/PFOA-associated effects on male reproductive health. The sources of PFAS in drinking water are listed. The current epidemiological studies linking increased exposure to PFAS with lowered testosterone and semen quality, and evidence from rodent studies supporting their function as endocrine disruptors on the reproductive system, exhibiting non-monotonic dose responses, are noted. Finally, their mechanisms of action and possible toxic effects on the Leydig, Sertoli, and germ cells are discussed. Future research efforts must consider utilizing better human model systems for exposure, using more accurate PFAS exposure susceptibility windows, and improvements in statistical modeling of data to account for the endocrine disruptor properties of PFAS.
Highlights
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) comprise more than 3000 individual compounds and generally contain a carbon chain backbone of 4 to 14 atoms in length and a charged functional moiety, such as a sulfonate or carboxylate [1]
Many biological systems are adversely impacted by PFAS, this review focuses only on perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)/perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)-associated effects on male reproductive health, and how they may increase susceptibility to male infertility
This study contrasts with a study by Olsen et al (2007) [62], who estimated that the geometric mean serum elimination half-life of PFOA was 3.8 years for a group of 26 retired workers with previous occupational exposure
Summary
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) comprise more than 3000 individual compounds and generally contain a carbon chain backbone of 4 to 14 atoms in length and a charged functional moiety, such as a sulfonate or carboxylate [1]. Additional reasons for concern are reports of bioaccumulation of PFAS in humans and wildlife and increasing evidence linking environmentally relevant exposures to health effects. Both PFOS and PFOA have a substantial database of epidemiological, pharmacokinetic, toxicological, and mechanistic studies [2,3,4,5,6,7,8]. Several epidemiological and rodent studies examine associations between neonatal and pubertal PFAS exposure and male reproductive health outcomes, as detailed later in this review. Challenges, data-gaps, and areas for further research are addressed towards the end of each section
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