Reproductive hormones in relation to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolites among non-occupational exposure of males.

A limited number of studies have suggested that exposure to PAHs may affect reproductive hormones. Subjects (n=642) in this study were from the affiliated hospitals of Nanjing Medical University. Individual exposures to PAHs were measured as spot urinary concentrations of four PAH metabolites, including 1-naphthol (1-N), 2-naphthol (2-N), 2-hydroxyfluorene (2-OF) and 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OP), which were adjusted by urinary creatinine (CR). Blood samples were collected to measure serum levels of reproductive hormones, including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteotrophic hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), testosterone (T) and prolactin (PRL). All of the subjects had detectable levels of the four metabolites of PAHs in their urine samples. The median concentrations of 1-N, 2-N, 2-OF and 1-OP were 2.440, 4.176, 2.843 and 1.148 microg/g of CR. There were significant P-values between increased CR-adjusted 1-N tertiles and E2 concentration, 2-OF tertiles and LH, FSH level, 1-OP and E2 level. The multivariate linear regression results also showed significant correlation between the levels of serum LH and 1-OP (the adjusting P-value was 0.048), but no correlations were found between other hormones and the level of PAH metabolites. These observed correlations between levels of hydroxy-PAH and some altered hormones indicated slight endocrine effects on adult men with PAH exposure.

Han Y ，Xia Y ，Zhu P ，Qiao S ，Zhao R ，Jin N ，Wang S ，Song L ，Fu G ，Wang X ... -  《-》

Repeated measures of urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites in relation to altered reproductive hormones: A cross-sectional study in China.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of ubiquitous environmental pollutants. In vivo and in vitro studies have demonstrated that PAHs can alter endocrine function, yet evidence from human studies is limited. The objective of this study was to investigate whether environmental exposure to PAHs was associated with altered reproductive hormone levels, using repeated measures of urinary OH-PAHs as biomarkers. We measured 10 monohydroxylated PAHs (OH-PAHs) in repeated urine samples from 371 men in an infertility clinic in Wuhan, China. Multivariable linear regression models were used to estimate the associations between average urinary OH-PAH levels and serum reproductive hormones, and restricted cubic spline models were further used to examine the shapes of dose-response relationships. We observed dose-response associations of urinary 2-hydroxynaphthalene (2-OHNa) with decreased serum free testosterone (fT) and urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP), 9-hydroxyphenanthrene (9-OHPh), and 9-hydroxyfluorene (9-OHFlu) with decreased serum estradiol (all P for trends <0.05). These associations were linear and significant when these four OH-PAHs were modeled as continuous variables in restricted cubic spline models. Furthermore, a U-shaped association was observed across urinary 4-OHPh levels, with lower levels of serum sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) at median concentrations compared with 5th and 95th percentile concentrations. Environmental levels of PAH exposure in our study are associated with altered reproductive hormones. However, further research is needed to confirm our findings.

Yang P ，Sun H ，Gong YJ ，Wang YX ，Liu C ，Chen YJ ，Sun L ，Huang LL ，Ai SH ，Lu WQ ，Zeng Q ... -  《-》

Urinary hydroxylated metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as biomarkers of exposure in asphalt workers.

Buratti M ，Campo L ，Fustinoni S ，Cirla PE ，Martinotti I ，Cavallo D ，Foa V ... -  《BIOMARKERS》

Relationship between urinary metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and thyroid hormone levels in Chinese non-occupational exposure adult males.

Zhu P ，Bian Z ，Xia Y ，Han Y ，Qiao S ，Zhao R ，Jin N ，Wang S ，Peng Y ，Wang X ... -  《-》

Urinary metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in relation to idiopathic male infertility.

Xia Y ，Zhu P ，Han Y ，Lu C ，Wang S ，Gu A ，Fu G ，Zhao R ，Song L ，Wang X ... -  《-》