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Effects of Environmental Pollutants on Human Reproductive Health

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Behavior, Chronic Disease and Health Promotion".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 10119

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Marina Piscopo

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Guest Editor

Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Napoli NA, Italy
Interests: histones; sperm proteins; environmental pollution; heavy metals; reproductive health; sperm chromatin; epigenetic modifications; marine organisms; human spermatogenesis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Successful reproduction is a determining factor for the survival of species, but the development of modern technology and the rapid industrialization have allowed the entry of a wide range of synthetic organic compounds and heavy metals into the environment. These anthropogenic pollutants can be found in air, soil, and water and can have negative effects on the reproductive health of various organisms. There is a growing amount of literature on the effects of these pollutants on the reproductive health of bony fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals; particularly chemicals with hormone-disrupting properties. There is a need for a greater awareness and vigilance of the effects of environmental pollution on reproductive health, since only a fraction of these chemicals have been adequately examined for toxicity and for synergistic effects due to multiple exposures.

We cordially invite authors to contribute to this Special Issue with original research articles and reviews on how different types of air, water, and soil pollutants induce negative effects on human reproductive health. Data collected on this issue may represent a new opportunity to answer basic questions on conservation and sustainability and better understand the underlying physiological changes in the reproductive system induced by exposure to pollutants and establish a link between the dose and response of individual or a mixture of pollutants. New molecular environmental pollution markers linked to reproduction, pollutant molecular mechanisms of action, alterations in sperm proteins and their interaction with DNA, sperm chromatin structure alterations, epigenetic modifications, impact of nutrition on reproductive health and clinical implications for male and female reproduction also fall within the scope of this Special Issue.

Prof. Marina Piscopo
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

human reproductive health
spermatozoa
environmental pollution
sperm proteins
sperm chromatin
heavy metals
reproduction
oocyte
epigenetic modifications
nutrition

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 1465 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison between Macro and Trace Element Concentrations in Human Semen and Blood Serum in Highly Polluted Areas in Italy

by Aldo Di Nunzio, Antonella Giarra, Maria Toscanesi, Angela Amoresano, Marina Piscopo, Elisabetta Ceretti, Claudia Zani, Stefano Lorenzetti, Marco Trifuoggi and Luigi Montano

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11635; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph191811635 - 15 Sep 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 1917

Abstract

Macro and trace elements are important regulators of biological processes, including those ones linked to reproduction. Among them, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Se, and Zn ensure normal spermatic functions. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate the concentrations of 26 macro and trace elements (Al, As, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sb, Se, Sn, Sr, U, V, and Zn) in blood serum and also in semen of healthy young men, homogeneous for age, anthropometric characteristics, and lifestyle, living in three highly polluted areas in Italy. Furthermore, a comparison among three geographical areas was performed to highlight any difference in the investigated parameters and, overall, to speculate any correlations between chemical elements and semen quality. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) among the three areas were found for each investigated element, in both semen and serum samples, where inter-area differences were more evident in semen than in blood serum, suggesting human semen as an early environmental marker. Considering the homogeneity of three cohorts, these differences could be due more to environmental conditions in the recruiting areas, suggesting that variations in those involved in reproductive-associated pathways can have an impact on male fertility. Nevertheless, more research is needed to evaluate threshold values for sperm dysfunction and male infertility. Actually, the role of different dietary intake and environmental exposure underlying the observed differences in the recruiting areas is under further investigation for the same cohort. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Environmental Pollutants on Human Reproductive Health)

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18 pages, 2828 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Molecular Alterations and Severe Abnormalities in Spermatozoa of Young Men Living in the “Valley of Sacco River” (Latium, Italy): A Preliminary Study

by Pasquale Perrone, Gennaro Lettieri, Carmela Marinaro, Valentina Longo, Simonetta Capone, Angiola Forleo, Sebastiana Pappalardo, Luigi Montano and Marina Piscopo

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 11023; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph191711023 - 03 Sep 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1956

Abstract

The Valley of Sacco River (VSR) (Latium, Italy) is an area with large-scale industrial chemical production that has led over time to significant contamination of soil and groundwater with various industrial pollutants, such as organic pesticides, dioxins, organic solvents, heavy metals, and particularly, volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In the present study, we investigated the potential impact of VOCs on the spermatozoa of healthy young males living in the VSR, given the prevalent presence of several VOCs in the semen of these individuals. To accomplish this, spermiograms were conducted followed by molecular analyses to assess the content of sperm nuclear basic proteins (SNBPs) in addition to the protamine-histone ratio and DNA binding of these proteins. We found drastic alterations in the spermatozoa of these young males living in the VSR. Alterations were seen in sperm morphology, sperm motility, sperm count, and protamine/histone ratios, and included significant reductions in SNBP–DNA binding capacity. Our results provide preliminary indications of a possible correlation between the observed alterations and the presence of specific VOCs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Environmental Pollutants on Human Reproductive Health)

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15 pages, 1434 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Could Kallikrein-Related Serine Peptidase 3 Be an Early Biomarker of Environmental Exposure in Young Women?

by Salvatore Raimondo, Mariacira Gentile, Giusy Esposito, Tommaso Gentile, Ida Ferrara, Claudia Crescenzo, Mariangela Palmieri, Felice Cuomo, Stefania De Filippo, Gennaro Lettieri, Marina Piscopo and Luigi Montano

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(16), 8833; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18168833 - 21 Aug 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2075

Abstract

Bisphenols and phthalates affect androgen receptor-mediated signaling that directly regulates Kallikrein-Related serine Peptidase 3 (KLK3) secretion, indicating that environmental factors may play a role in KLK3 secretion. With the aim of obtaining preliminary data on whether KLK3 could serve as an early marker of environmental pollution effects, in 61 and 58 healthy women living in a high environmental impact (HEI) and low environmental impact (LEI) area, respectively, serum KLK3 levels at different phases of menstrual cycle were measured. KLK3 values resulted in always being higher in the HEI group with respect to the LEI group. These differences were particularly relevant in the ovulatory phase (cycle day 12°–13°) of the menstrual cycle. The differences in KLK3 values during the three phases of the menstrual cycle were significant in the LEI group differently from the HEI group. In addition, higher progesterone levels were observed in the LEI group with respect to the HEI group in the luteal phase, indicating an opposite trend of KLK3 and progesterone in this phase of the menstrual cycle. Although changes in KLK3 could also depend on other factors, these preliminary data could be an early indication of an expanding study of the role of biomarkers in assessing early environmental effects for female reproductive health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Environmental Pollutants on Human Reproductive Health)

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Review

Jump to: Research

20 pages, 828 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Reprotoxic Impact of Environment, Diet, and Behavior

by Alessandra Gallo

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(3), 1303; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19031303 - 24 Jan 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3370

Abstract

Reproductive health is progressively declining due to multiples endogenous and exogenous factors, such as environmental contaminants, diet and behavior. Accumulated evidences confirm that fertility and reproductive function have been adversely affected by exposure to chemical contaminants released in the environment. Today, the impact of diet and behavior on reproductive processes is also receiving special attention from the scientific community. Indeed, a close relationship between diet and fertility has been proven. Furthermore, a combination of unhealthy behavior, such as exposure to hazardous compounds and stress factors, poses living organisms at higher risk of reprotoxic effects. In particular, it has been described that poor life behaviors are associated with reduced male and female fertility due to decreased gamete quality and function. Most of the erroneous behaviors are, furthermore, a source of oxidative stress that, leading to epigenetic alterations, results in an impaired reproductive fitness. This review reports the detrimental impact of the most common environmental chemical stressors, diet, and behavior on reproductive functionality and success. Although clear evidences are still scarce, reassuring data are provided that a healthy diet and reverting unhealthy lifestyles may be of help to recover physiological reproductive conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Environmental Pollutants on Human Reproductive Health)

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