Abstract
Toxicants, such as herbicides, have been hypothesized to affect sperm parameters. The most common method of exposure to herbicides is through spraying or diet. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of direct exposure of sperm to 1 mg/L of the herbicide Roundup on sperm motility and mitochondrial integrity. Sperm samples from 66 healthy men who were seeking semen analysis were investigated after written informed consent was taken. Semen analysis was performed according to the World Health Organization guidelines (WHO, 2010). Mitochondrial integrity was assessed through mitochondrial staining using a mitochondria-specific dye, which is exclusively incorporated into functionally active mitochondria. A quantity of 1 mg/L of Roundup was found to exert a deleterious effect on sperm’s progressive motility, after 1 h of incubation (mean difference between treated and control samples = 11.2%) in comparison with the effect after three hours of incubation (mean difference = 6.33%, p < 0.05), while the relative incorporation of the mitochondrial dye in mitochondria of the mid-piece region of Roundup-treated spermatozoa was significantly reduced compared to relative controls at the first hour of incubation, indicating mitochondrial dysfunction by Roundup. Our results indicate that the direct exposure of semen samples to the active constituent of the herbicide Roundup at the relatively low concentration of 1 mg/L has adverse effects on sperm motility, and this may be related to the observed reduction in mitochondrial staining.
Highlights
Among the variety of toxicants that affect male fertility, fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides seem to be environmental factors that may have a negative impact on human sperm quality [1,2].Many of these chemicals are endocrine disruptors; their bioaccumulation in humans may cause adverse health effects, especially for people living in regions in which outdoor spraying has been performed to protect crops from competing weeds
It is demonstrated for the first time that the herbicide Roundup has a direct impact on human sperm motility and sperm mitochondrial dysfunction
We used the parameter of impact on human sperm motility and sperm mitochondrial dysfunction
Summary
Among the variety of toxicants that affect male fertility, fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides seem to be environmental factors that may have a negative impact on human sperm quality [1,2]. Many of these chemicals are endocrine disruptors; their bioaccumulation in humans may cause adverse health effects, especially for people living in regions in which outdoor spraying has been performed to protect crops from competing weeds. The effect of the herbicide Roundup on human male reproduction is not known, a meta-analysis revealed that exposure to glyphosate decreased sperm concentration in both mice and rats, indicating adverse effects on reproductive health [6]. In a previous study it was demonstrated that glyphosate at a concentration of 5 mg/kg exerted deleterious effects on sperm quality in Wistar rats [8], while recently it was reported that sperm parameters such as motility and concentration represented the most sensitive parameters affected by glyphosate in live-bearing
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
