Akinloye Oluyemi, Arowojolu Ayodele O, Shittu Olayiwola B, Anetor John I
Department of Chemical Pathology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Oshogbo, Osun State, Nigeria.
Reprod Biol. 2006 Mar;6(1):17-30.
Serum and seminal plasma cadmium (Cd) concentrations were estimated by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 60 infertile adult male Nigerians (40 oligozoospermics and 20 azoospermics). The results were compared with Cd level in 40 normozoospermic subjects (matched age, with proven evidence of fertility). The relationship between Cd levels and spermatograms or the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) -axis was investigated by correlating serum and seminal plasma Cd levels with semen characteristics and hormone levels. The seminal plasma Cd level was significantly higher than those of serum in all studied groups (p<0.001). The serum and seminal plasma Cd levels were increased (p<0.001) in azoospermics in comparison to oligozoospermic and control subjects. A significant negative correlation was observed between serum Cd level and all examined biophysical semen characteristics except sperm volume. A positive correlation was also observed between seminal plasma Cd and FSH. Results of the study for the first time implicate cadmium as a cause of infertility in male Nigerians as well as extend and support previous findings concerning cadmium toxicity and male infertility. The strong deleterious effect of cadmium on spermatogenesis may be due to the systemic and cellular toxicity. A possible relationship between this element and the HPG axis is also suggested.
采用原子吸收分光光度法对60名成年尼日利亚不育男性（40名少精子症患者和20名无精子症患者）的血清和精浆镉（Cd）浓度进行了测定。将结果与40名精子正常的受试者（年龄匹配，有生育能力的确凿证据）的镉水平进行了比较。通过将血清和精浆镉水平与精液特征和激素水平进行相关性分析，研究了镉水平与精子图谱或下丘脑 - 垂体 - 性腺（HPG）轴之间的关系。在所有研究组中，精浆镉水平均显著高于血清镉水平（p<0.001）。与少精子症患者和对照组相比，无精子症患者的血清和精浆镉水平升高（p<0.001）。除精液量外，血清镉水平与所有检测的精液生物物理特征之间均存在显著负相关。精浆镉与促卵泡生成素（FSH）之间也存在正相关。该研究结果首次表明镉是尼日利亚男性不育的一个原因，同时扩展并支持了先前关于镉毒性与男性不育症的研究发现。镉对精子发生的强烈有害作用可能归因于全身毒性和细胞毒性。该元素与HPG轴之间也可能存在某种关系。
