Rich Murray: montrealgazette.com: Aitken: DNA damage in 85% human sperm 7.3.1 rmforall

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Rich Murray: montrealgazette.com: Aitken:

DNA damage in 85% human sperm 7.3.1 rmforall

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Human Sperm In Dramatic Decline Scientists Warn

By Derfel Montreal Gazette 7-3-1

http://www.montrealgazette.com

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/pages/010622/5081326.html

aderfel@...

Scientists from around the world are alarmed by a dramatic

increase in genetically damaged human sperm - a trend that is not

only causing infertility in men, but also childhood cancers in the

offspring of those who can reproduce.

It's now estimated that up to 85 per cent of the sperm produced by

a healthy male is DNA-damaged, a leading authority on the subject

revealed yesterday at an international conference being held in

Montreal.

" That's very unusual, " said Aitken, head of biological sciences

at the University of Newcastle in Australia.

" If you were to take a rat or a mouse or a rabbit, usually more than

80 per cent of their sperm would be normal. "

For the last 20 years, scientists have known about declining sperm

counts. But researchers are now learning that the quality of human

sperm is steadily eroding, and might be causing birth defects as well

as brain cancer and leukemia in children.

Abnormal sperm is also being blamed for a global increase in

testicular cancer - a disease that strikes men in their 30s. Scientists

believe that when a DNA-damaged sperm fertilizes a woman's egg,

it can trigger a mutation of a key gene in the embryo.

And even if men today can reproduce, their damaged sperm might

lead to infertility in their male progeny, Aitken suggested. " You're

likely to see lots of diseases that are related to poorer semen

quality. "

Scientists suspect a wide range of environmental causes for the

abnormal sperm - from exposure to pesticides and heavy metals to

electromagnetic radiation.

" We're all exposed to 10 times more electromagnetic radiation than

our forefathers, " Aitken said. " It's all the electrical appliances we

use, including microwave phones. "

There is a consensus in the scientific community that men who

smoke cause damage to their sperm, and that this might be

responsible for childhood cancers. " If you are a man and you

smoke, your semen profile won't be obviously affected, " Aitken

said. " You'll still have lots of sperm swimming around and you'll be

fertile. But the DNA in your sperm nucleus will be fragmented. "

The average ejaculate of human sperm contains 80 million

spermatazoa, each genetically programmed to fertilize a woman's

egg. Scientists examining human sperm have discovered that not

only are sperm counts on the decline, but that the vast majority of

sperm is sluggish, poorly structured, their DNA fragmented and

that they generate a lot of cellular waste called free radicals.

" Generally speaking, everything is bad with the sperm, " Aitken

said.

Fortunately for most couples, it's the undamaged or least damaged

sperm that tends to fertilize the egg.

As a result of increasing male infertility, scientists have developed a

new technique to help couples conceive. It's called

Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI). In the lab, a technologist

will take from the would-be father a single sperm, or even a cell

that is on its way to becoming a sperm, and fertilize it in the test

tube with the woman's egg. The resulting embryo is then

transferred to the woman's uterus.

Dr. Jarvi, of the University of Toronto-Mount Sinai Hospital,

said the ICSI technique has revolutionized the treatment of male

infertility. But he wondered about the health outcomes of the ICSI

children.

That human sperm is of poorer quality than that of other mammals

is not surprising. The human species is the only one that wears

clothes, and healthy sperm need to be kept a couple of degrees

cooler than the full body temperature. But clothing alone is not

responsible for the extent of abnormal human sperm, Aitken

argued.

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" Evidence of Deteriorating Semen Quality in the United Kingdom:

Birth Cohort Study in 577 Men in Scotland Over 11 Years. "

British Medical Journal 1996 vol. 312: 7029: 467-471.

Irvine, Cawood, ,

Eileen Mac & Aitken

The 1998 Amoroso Lecture. The human spermatozoon-a cell in crisis?

Society for the Study of Fertility

Annual Meeting, University of Glasgow, UK

J Reprod Fertil 1999 Jan;115(1):1-7

Aitken RJ.

MRC Reproductive Biology Unit, Edinburgh, UK.

A great deal of evidence has accumulated in

recent years to suggest that there has been a gradual

increase in male reproductive pathology over the

past 30-40 years, as evidenced by increased

rates of testicular cancer and declining semen quality.

The hypothesis is advanced that this

phenomenon is causally related to the ability

of male germ cells to generate reactive oxygen

metabolites. When produced in low levels,

such metabolites are thought to enhance sperm

function by stimulating DNA compaction

and promoting a redox-regulated cAMP-mediated

pathway that is central to the induction of

sperm capacitation. When produced in excessive

amounts, the same metabolites stimulate

DNA fragmentation and a loss of sperm function

associated with peroxidative damage to the

sperm plasma membrane. Free radical-induced

mutations in the male germ line may also be

involved in the aetiology of childhood cancer and

recent increases in the incidence of seminoma.

In light of these considerations, establishing the

mechanisms for free radical generation by the

male germ line and determining the factors that

influence this activity are important objectives

for future research in this area.

Publication Types: Lectures Review Review, tutorial

PMID: 10341716

Andrologia 2000 Sep;32(4-5):195-208

Male reproductive health: cause for concern?

Irvine DS. d.s.irvine@...

MRC Human Reproductive Sciences Unit

Centre for Reproductive Biology, Edinburgh, UK.

A substantial body of evidence has accumulated

in recent years that human semen quality may be

deteriorating. This has been associated with

evidence of other changes in male reproductive

health, including increases in congenital malformations

and testicular cancer in humans, and similar

problems in wildlife. Unfortunately, the

evidence remains inconclusive. It has been suggested that

these changes may be due to environmental

xeno-oestrogens acting during development.

Although there is now a large quantity of data

indicating that this is a plausible hypothesis,

evidence of causality, rather than association,

remains to be provided. The potential importance

of these changes for human health is considerable

and urgent research is required to clarify the situation.

Publication Types: Review Review, academic PMID: 11021510

J Androl 2000 Jan-Feb;21(1):33-44

DNA integrity in human spermatozoa:

relationships with semen quality.

Irvine DS, Twigg JP, Gordon EL, Fulton N,

Milne PA, Aitken RJ. d.s.irvine@...

Centre for Reproductive Biology, Edinburgh, Scotland.

The literature contains conflicting evidence

regarding the existence of DNA damage in

spermatozoa from infertile male patients.

To examine this phenomenon, we have studied

ejaculated spermatozoa from normozoospermic

semen donors and from a group of the

unselected male partners of couples attending

an infertility clinic for initial investigation. Classical

semen analysis according to

World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines was undertaken with

computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA).

Spermatozoa were prepared by sequential washing

and centrifugation and were analyzed for

DNA fragmentation using three assays:

1) a single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay,

2) in situ nick translation with prior chemical decondensation

(ISNT-decondensed), and

3) in situ nick translation without prior chemical decondensation

(ISNT-condensed). In addition, reactive oxygen species

(ROS) generation by spermatozoa was

measured, and seminal plasma was analyzed for

its total reactive antioxidant potential (TRAP).

When the donor and patient groups were compared,

the latter had lower levels of semen quality

and higher levels of DNA damage, which was

particularly apparent using the comet assay. Highly

significant negative correlations were observed

between DNA fragmentation, detected by all

three assays, and semen quality, particularly sperm concentration.

In addition, multiple regression

analysis indicated that other attributes of semen quality,

such as sperm movement and ROS

generation, were also related to DNA damage.

We conclude that a significant proportion of

infertile men have elevated levels of DNA

damage in their ejaculated spermatozoa. PMID: 10670517

Aitken Sept. 4 1947

Department Biological Sci/School Biol & Chem Sc/SCI & M

+61 2 4921 5700 Fax +61 2 4921 6923

bihod@... jaitken@...

http://www.newcastle.edu.au/department/bi/birjt/profile/aitken_rj.html

Current Position

1998 Professor & Head of Discipline of Biological Sciences

University of Newcastle, NSW Australia

Visiting Positions University of Cambridge

Journal Editorial On Editorial Boards for 8 International Journals

Membership of Professional Organisations

World Health Organisation

Medical Research Council Reproductive Biology Unit

Centre for Reproductive Biology, Edinburgh

Royal Society of Edinburgh

Member of six Professional Societies

Committee Member of three Professional Societies

Member of the Organising committee of twelve Scientific Meetings

Publications Over 580 publications, including 2 Books,

77 Chapters in Books, 203 Full Journal Papers,

108 Refereed Conference Papers, 193 Symposium Presentations

******************************************************

http://www.ein.org/news/brnews2.htm

Study shows a decline in the number of male births

In an article in The Journal of the American

Medical Association (JAMA), researchers from the

World Resources Institute in Washington, DC,

show that the number of male births in several

industrialized nations has declined significantly

in the past few decades. Devra Lee and

colleagues examined data from Denmark, the

Netherlands, Canada and the US, and found similar

declines in the sex ratio, or the number of

male births per female births, in these countries. For

example, from 1970-1990 in the US, the

reported decline of 1 male birth per 1,000 births resulted in

38,000 fewer male births. And in Canada,

the decline of 2.2 male births per 1,000 births resulted in

8,600 fewer boys being born during the same period.

They say this change may be tied to increases

in male reproductive health problems.

" Such small changes... can have profound implications for

large populations, where hundreds of thousands

or millions of births occur each year, " they write.

They explain that several factors influence

whether a fetus, which starts out female, becomes male.

Exposure to hormones, older age of fathers,

use of fertility drugs, hepatitis and non-Hodgkin's

lymphoma may all reduce the proportion of male fetuses.

Workplace and environmental factors such

as " ...exposure to smelting operations, pesticides,

inorganic borates, lead, solvents, (and) alcohol "

have also been linked to reduced male populations.

In addition to the concerns about the reduced

male birth rates, the authors note that disorders

of the male reproductive tract, such as hypospadias

and cryptorchidism are becoming more common.

They suggest that prenatal exposures may affect

men's overall health and development.

" The potential repercussions of conditions that may alter the

ratio of the sexes at birth should be considered

a matter of utmost concern, " they write.

JAMA 1998 Apr 1;279(13):1018-23

Comment in:

JAMA. 1998 Oct 7;280(13):1139-40; discussion 1140-1

JAMA. 1998 Oct 7;280(13):1139; discussion 1140-1

JAMA. 1998 Oct 7;280(13):1140-1

Reduced ratio of male to female births in several industrial

countries: a sentinel health indicator? devra@...

DL, Gottlieb MB, Stampnitzky JR.

World Resources Institute, Washington, DC 20006, USA.

£3m boost to solve mystery of Declining Sperm

The fall in sperm counts and the discovery

of gender-bender fish in Britain's rivers are to

be investigated in a £3m government-funded

research programme. The Environment

Minister Meacher, unveiled the

project at the European Union Environment and

Transport Ministers meeting in Chester on

Saturday. " I think we are all aware and worried

about declining sperm counts, increases in

testicular cancer, birth defects in baby boys and

reports of the effects on wildlife, especially fish, " he said.

Mr Meacher said there were indications

of hormone disruption in fish due to chemical

pollution and he pledged to involve the

chemical industry in an investigation. Earlier this

year the Environment Agency pollution

watchdog warned that a high proportion of male fish

in nearly all of Britain's rivers are carrying

eggs - something that should be done only by

female fish. This is a problem particularly

where fish swim near sewage outlets from heavy

industrial plants. Mr Meacher said

endocrine disruption was a very important issue,

referring to the chemicals which some

scientists believe are interfering with the body's

hormones. " What we have done today is

focus the attention of the European Community on

this, " he said. " We are all in a position to

take stock and come back with proposals that

meet genuine public concern. " The minister

said the research would try and find out

whether there is evidence of change to marine

and male reproductive health and seek to

identify possible causes. The EU wants to

speed up work in this area and

possibly look at drawing up a directive on

it in future. Source BBC NEWS SITE

UK Dental warning for pregnant women

Dentists are being advised not to give

mothers-to-be fillings made out of mercury amalgam

unless absolutely necessary.

The warning from the Department of Health

has been prompted by fears that the mercury

could get into the bloodstream and be

passed to the unborn child and cause it medical

problems. Scientists have advised that

there is a theoretical risk of poisoning. But the

government is stressing that there is no

hard evidence that the fillings can cause harm.

The UK's Deputy Chief Medical Officer,

Dr Metters, says the warning is just a

precautionary step. In a letter to dentists,

he wrote: " There is no evidence of any harm to a

foetus but, until further research is carried out,

it may be prudent to avoid, where clinically

reasonable, the placement or removal of

amalgam fillings during pregnancy. " The

government's action was welcomed by

west London dentist Hempleman.

He wants ministers to go further and

have mercury fillings phased out altogether.

" Mercury is a highly toxic poison, " he said.

" A growing number of researchers from

across the world have linked it as a

possible contributory cause - if not a main factor - in a

series of modern diseases, such as

chronic fatigue syndrome, Alzheimer's, multiple

sclerosis and general debilitating diseases. "

Source BBC NEWS SITE

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Rich Murray, MA Room For All rmforall@...

1943 Otowi Road, Santa Fe NM USA 87505

M.I.T. (physics and history, BA, 1964), Boston U. Graduate School

(psychology, MA, 1967): As a concerned layman, I want to clarify the

aspartame toxicity debate.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/messages for 669 posts

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/657 45K post

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Rich Murray: : fibromyalgia & aspartame & MSG 6.27.1 rmforall

Excellent 5-page review by H.J. in " Townsend Letter " ,

Jan 2000, " Aspartame (NutraSweet) Addiction "

http://www.dorway.com/tldaddic.html http://www.sunsentpress.com/

H.J. , M.D. HJmd@... sunsentpress@...

Sunshine Sentinel Press P.O.Box 17799 West Palm Beach, FL 33416

fax

1038 page medical text " Aspartame Disease: An Ignored Epidemic "

published May 30 2001 $ 85.00 postpaid data from 1200 cases

http://www.aspartameispoison.com/contents.html 34 chapters

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/669

Rich Murray: :

" Aspartame Disease " 1038 page expert magnum opus 7.5.1 rmforall

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