Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2015

DOI

10.3934/environsci.2015.3.565

Publication Title

AIMS Environmental Science

Volume

2

Issue

3

Pages

565-576

Abstract

The study aimed to examine whether urinary 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) could serve as a biomarker for assessing sperm DNA integrity. Urine and semen samples were collected from 124 coke-oven workers, who had chronically been exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), from a steel plant in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The coke-oven workers were divided into two subgroups: topside-oven workers and side-oven workers. Sperm DNA integrity was assessed in terms of DNA fragmentation and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo). Urine samples were used to detect 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) and urinary 8-OHdG, which served to assess exposure to PAHs and the whole body oxidative stress, respectively. Urinary 1-OHP concentrations were significantly higher in the topside-oven workers than the side-oven workers (p = 0.02). Sperm 8-oxodGuo concentrations were correlated with percentages of sperm fragmentation (p = 0.044), but urinary 8-OHdG levels failed to correlate with sperm 8-oxodGuo levels and with percentages of fragmentation. In conclusion, exposure to PAHs was linked to increased oxidative stress on sperm. However, urinary 8-OHdG may not be a suitable biomarker for examining sperm DNA damage associated with oxidative stress.

Original Publication Citation

Jeng, H. A., Pan, C.-H., & Mu-Rong, C. (2015). Urinary DNA lesions as a biomarker for assessing male reproductive health. AIMS Environmental Science. doi: 10.3934/environsci.2015.3.565

Share

COinS