ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Study on the relation between occupational fenvalerate exposure and spermatozoa DNA damage of pesticide factory workers

Q Bian¹, L C Xu¹, S L Wang², Y K Xia¹, L F Tan³, J F Chen¹, L Song¹, H C Chang¹, X R Wang¹

¹ Institute of Toxicology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
² Division of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
³ Changzhou CDC, Changzhou, 213003, China

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr X R Wang
Institute of Toxicology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China; xrwang{at}njmu.edu.cn

Aims: To determine sperm nuclear DNA integrity and to investigate the relation between fenvalerate (FE) exposure and spermatozoa DNA damage.

Methods: Sperm DNA fragmentation was detected by a modified alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet) assay and a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) assay. The olive tail moment (OTM) and percentage tail DNA were measured by the Comet assay, and cell positive percentage was measured by the TUNEL assay for DNA damage evaluation.

Results: The DNA integrity of spermatozoa of external and internal control groups were both significantly greater than that of the FE exposed group. The median value of tail DNA percentage in the exposure group was 11.30, which was significantly higher than 5.60 in the internal control group and 5.10 in the external control group. The median value of OTM was 3.80 in the exposure group, significantly higher than 1.50 in the internal control group and 2.00 in the external control group. Mean cell positive was 31.2% in the exposure group, significantly higher than 17.4% in the internal control and 19.6% in the external control groups. Cell positive (%) was significantly correlated with tail DNA percentage and with OTM of whole subjects (n = 63).

Conclusions: Results showed that occupational FE exposure is associated with an increase in sperm DNA damage. A combination of the Comet and TUNEL assays would offer more comprehensive information for a better understanding of sperm DNA damage, and the biological significance of sperm DNA damage in sperm function and male infertility.

Keywords: human spermatozoa; fenvalerate exposure; Comet assay; TUNEL assay; DNA damage

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• de Jager, C., Aneck-Hahn, N.H., Bornman, M.S., Farias, P., Leter, G., Eleuteri, P., Rescia, M., Spano, M. (2009). Sperm chromatin integrity in DDT-exposed young men living in a malaria area in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Hum Reprod 24: 2429-2438 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Sousa, A. P. M., Tavares, R. S., Velez de la Calle, J. F., Figueiredo, H., Almeida, V., Almeida-Santos, T., Ramalho-Santos, J. (2009). Dual use of Diff-Quik-like stains for the simultaneous evaluation of human sperm morphology and chromatin status. Hum Reprod 24: 28-36 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Meeker, J. D., Barr, D. B., Hauser, R. (2008). Human semen quality and sperm DNA damage in relation to urinary metabolites of pyrethroid insecticides. Hum Reprod 23: 1932-1940 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Perry, M. J. (2008). Effects of environmental and occupational pesticide exposure on human sperm: a systematic review. Hum Reprod Update 14: 233-242 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chohan, K. R., Griffin, J. T., Lafromboise, M., De Jonge, C. J., Carrell, D. T. (2006). Comparison of Chromatin Assays for DNA Fragmentation Evaluation in Human Sperm. J Androl 27: 53-59 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Xia, Y., Cheng, S., Bian, Q., Xu, L., Collins, M. D., Chang, H. C., Song, L., Liu, J., Wang, S., Wang, X. (2005). Genotoxic Effects on Spermatozoa of Carbaryl-Exposed Workers. Toxicol Sci 85: 615-623 [Abstract] [Full Text]