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Journal of Biological Sciences

Year: 2010 | Volume: 10 | Issue: 5 | Page No.: 396-404
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Review Article

Male Reproductive Toxicity of Some Selected Metals: A Review

N. Mathur, G. Pandey and G.C. Jain

ABSTRACT

The management of infertility problems has become an increasingly important part of health services during the past 20 years. A substantial number of couples seek fertility treatment due to poor semen quality and there is evidence in the literature that male reproductive function seems to have deteriorated considerably in the past four-five decades. Exposure to metals is a common phenomenon due to their environmental pervasiveness. Some metals are essential for life, others have unknown biological functions, either favorable or toxic and some others have the potential to caused toxicity. Over exposure of metals are in fact, one of the oldest environmental problems and they are widely distributed in the environmental workplace. One of the major mechanisms behind metal toxicity has been attributed to oxidative stress. A growing amount of data provide evidence that metals are capable of interacting with nuclear proteins and DNA causing oxidative deterioration of biological macromolecules. The primary objective of this review is to highlight the effects of metals on male reproductive processes.
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Received: March 16, 2010;   Accepted: May 26, 2010;   Published: July 14, 2010

INTRODUCTION

It is undeniable that good quality semen is essential for reproductive success. This quality appears to have been directly affected in recent years. Since 1990s, various authors have reaffirmed that possible significant drop in sperm quality and consequently an increase in male infertility rates (Carlsen et al., 1992; Jensen et al., 2008; Traina et al., 1994). During the past 50 years, tens of thousands of metals, chemicals have been released into the general environment (Carbone et al., 2007). Over exposure of these metals cause severe damage in male reproductive health.

The use of metals has been critical to the progress and success of human civilization. It would be difficult to imagine an advanced society without extensive utilization of metallic compounds. Metals are unique among pollutant toxicants in that they are all naturally occurring and in many cases, are ubiquitous within the human environment. In addition, all life has evolved in the presence of metals and organisms have been forced to deal with these potentially toxic, yet omnipresent, elements. In fact, many metals have become essential to various biological processes. Essentiality goes hand-in-hand with intentional accumulation and safe transport, storage and usage mechanisms. Nonetheless, even essential metals will become toxic with increasing exposure. It is often the case that the nonessential toxicant metals mimic essential metals and thereby gain access to and potentially disrupt, key cellular functions. This can also account for bioaccumulation of toxic metals (Veado et al., 2006; Kutlubay et al., 2007).

Metal toxicity is believed to be mediated through macromolecules such as proteins with structural, catalytic or transport function and DNA. Reactive oxygen species are generated by metals, particularly transition metal ions e.g., of iron, copper, vanadium, cobalt, can overcome the spin restriction of O2 and donate a single electron, giving rise to free radical species and chain reaction. Toxicity occurs when such metals are free and reactions become uncontrolled. Metals also inhibit protection mechanism against reactive oxygen species, e.g., SOD, glutathione. Other important cytotoxic mechanism for some metals (e.g., mercury and chromate) are DNA damage and inhibition of cellular respiration (e.g., arsenic and chromate). Although, metals can bind to a wide variety of cellular ligands and the effects produced seem to be relatively specific for each metal (Maret and Standstead, 2006; Luebke et al., 2006).

The rapid industrialization and overgrowing urbanization, the effects of metals on male reproductive system have become major health concern globally (Chowdhury, 2009; Turgut et al., 2003). This study we reviewed metals that have been reported to produce significant toxicity in male reproductive system.

Effect of various metals on male reproduction is presented in Table 1.

Table 1: Effect of various metals on male reproduction
Image for - Male Reproductive Toxicity of Some Selected Metals: A Review
Image for - Male Reproductive Toxicity of Some Selected Metals: A Review
Image for - Male Reproductive Toxicity of Some Selected Metals: A Review
Image for - Male Reproductive Toxicity of Some Selected Metals: A Review
Image for - Male Reproductive Toxicity of Some Selected Metals: A Review

CONCLUSIONS

Increased distribution of metals and metal compounds in the environment, especially through anthropogenic activities, raises increasing concern for ecotoxicological effects. The precise chemical basis of metal toxicology is inadequately understood but a uniform mechanism for all toxic metals is implausible because of the great variation in chemical properties and toxic endpoints. Chemically, metals in their ionic form can be very reactive and can interact with biological systems in a large variety of ways. In this regard, a cell presents numerous potential metal-binding ligands. Such adventitious binding is an important chemical mechanism by which exogenous metals exert toxic effects that can result in steric re-arrangement that impairs the function of biomolecules (Kasprzak, 2002; Kasprzak et al., 2003).

Metals may operate through hormonal or genotoxic pathways to affect male reproduction. Metals may penetrate the blood testis barrier to potentially affect spermatogenesis, either by affecting genetic integrity or hormone production. Effects may be at different stages of the cell cycle such as during meiotic disjunction and such abnormalities can have deleterious effects on reproduction and offspring. Exposure to metals has been long associated with low sperm motility and density, increased morphological anomalies and male infertility.

The conclusion of present review revealed that the toxic effects of different metals depend on dose, duration, route of administration in male human and various animal species.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are greatly indebted to Professor Reena Mathur for providing facilities. The authors are also thankful to the Center for Advanced Studies, Department of Zoology, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. Ms. Nidhi Mathur is thankful to University Grants Commission, India for providing Research Fellowship.

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Comments

vinayakam prakash Reply

i am also in same research i think lead is more toxic sub stance to decrease the sperm motility in uterus and
also cause infertility.

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