Apart from harmful effects on the respiratory system and other parts of the body, air pollution has now been found to reduce the sperm count in men, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The study, conducted on mice, found that air pollution causes brain inflammation resulting in the reduction of sperm count.
A sizeable amount of prior studies both on human and animal models have shown that exposure to PM2.5 reduces sperm production and may be one of the culprits behind the continuous decline in sperm count worldwide. These studies, however, have yet to fully grasp the mechanism for this impairment in sperm production by PM2.5. The current study succeeded in filling the gaps by supporting the hypotheses that the inflammation of the hypothalamus- a part of the brain that connects to the pituitary gland and gonadal glands, an axis that impacts our hormone production and the reproductive system, plays a role in the decrease of sperm production. In addition,
The researchers experimented on normal healthy mice and mice bred without a marker of inflammation in the brain, called Inhibitor Kappa B Kinase 2, or IKK2 for short. They then observed both health and IKK2 mutant mice sperm count after exposing both to polluted air. It was found that the mice bred without the marker coped better with the effects of air pollution and did not seem to have any impairment in their sperm production. As the hypothalamus works with the pituitary gland – a gland directly communicating with the reproductive organs, this inflammation in the brain would be closely linked to the decrease in sperm production.
According to Zhekang Ying, lead author of the study,
“Our findings showed that the damage due to air pollution – at least to the sperm count – could be remedied by removing a single inflammation marker in the brains of mice, suggesting that we may be able to develop therapies that could prevent or reverse the damaging effects of air pollution on fertility.”
A past study has also reported a link between air pollution and poorer quality sperm. The study found that there was a close relation between PM2.5 exposure and abnormal sperm shape. Although the underlying mechanism remained unclear, fine particulate matter such as heavy metals has been associated with causing sperm damage in previous experimental studies. This sounds the alarm that more detrimental effects can be caused by PM2.5.
Oynessa