Exposure to certain environmental pollutants can affect the development of the testicles, according to a study published in the journalReproductive Toxicology. The research has analyzed the expression of hundreds of genes in male mice exposed to various substances present in pesticides, plastics, foods and cosmetics.
The objective of the research was to search for relationships between exposure to certain environmental pollutants and some reproductive pathologies in males. “Several epidemiological studies have shown aincreased alterations in testicular development and function in humans and animals, such as the increase in cases of testicular cancer among young men, the increase in genital malformations and the progressive decrease in the quantity and quality of sperm “, indicates Jesús del Mazo, one of the authors of the study, from the Center for Biological Research ( CSIC).
All the compounds studied are endocrine disruptors, a group of chemical substances that can interfere with the endocrine system, responsible for regulating the release of /, and consequently alter normal embryonic development. The researchers subjected the male mice to different doses of phthalate, a plasticizer; zearalenone, a toxin present in some cereals; lindane, a pesticide; bisphenol A, used in the manufacture of plastics; and estradiol, a female sex steroid hormone. Exposure was carried out during embryonic development and at higher doses than those routinely subjected to humans.
The results indicated that both phthalate and zearalerone altered the regulation of specific genes, and furthermore this effect wasindependent of the dose used and the time of gestation. “Its effect is also observed in adult animals if their mother was exposed to these substances two weeks before fertilization,” says Del Mazo. Many of these genes are key responsible for embryonic development, and their dysregulation can lead to reproductive pathologies in males, the researchers have indicated.
