2. Academic Validation
  3. PCB126 impairs human sperm functions by affecting post-translational modifications and mitochondrial functions

PCB126 impairs human sperm functions by affecting post-translational modifications and mitochondrial functions

  • Chemosphere. 2023 Oct 31:346:140532. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140532.
Yebin Yang 1,  Guangquan Mei 2,  Liu Yang 1,  Tao Luo 3,  Runwen Wu 4,  Shenglin Peng 5,  Zhen Peng 5,  Jiajun Cui 4,  Yimin Cheng 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 College of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, Yichun University, Yichun, China.
  • 2 Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Natural Active Pharmaceutical Constituents, Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Yichun University, Yichun, China; Key Laboratory of Jiangxi University for Applied Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Yichun University, Yichun, China.
  • 3 Institute of Life Science and School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
  • 4 Center for Translational Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yichun University, Yichun, China.
  • 5 Yichun People's Hospital, Jiangxi Province, Yichun, China.
  • 6 Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Natural Active Pharmaceutical Constituents, Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Yichun University, Yichun, China; Center for Translational Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yichun University, Yichun, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 37918541 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140532
Abstract

Over the past few decades, there has been a consistent decline in semen quality across the globe, with environmental pollution being identified as the primary cause. Among the various contaminants present in the environment, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have garnered significant attention due to their high toxicity, slow degradation, bio-accumulation, and long-range migration. PCBs, which include 210 congeners, are a crucial type of POPs that are known to have harmful effects on the environment and human health. Among the various PCB congeners, 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB126) is a typical environmental endocrine-disrupting chemical that is widely distributed and has been associated with several health hazards. However, the impact and mechanism of PCB126 on human sperm function has not been fully elucidated. We aimed to investigate the effects of different concentrations of PCB126 (0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 μg/mL) on sperm motility, viability, hyperactivation, and acrosome reaction after incubation for different periods (1 and 2 h), delving deeper into the molecular mechanism of human sperm dysfunction caused by PCB126. First, we investigated the link between PCB126 treatment and the occurrence of protein modifications that are critical to sperm function regulation, such as tyrosine phosphorylation and lysine glutarylation. Second, we examined the potential impact of PCB126 on different parameters related to mitochondrial function, including Reactive Oxygen Species, malondialdehyde levels, mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondria respiration and adenosine triphosphate generation. Our findings indicate that exposure to environmental pollutants such as PCB126 in vitro may have a negative impact on human sperm functions by interfering with post-translational modifications and mitochondrial functions.

Keywords

3,3′,4,4′,5-pentachlorobiphenyl; Mitochondrial dysfunction; Post-translational modification; Reactive oxygen species; human sperm.

Figures
Products