Exogenous Metals Atlas in Spermatozoa at Single-Cell Resolution in Relation to Human Semen Quality

While exogenous metal/metalloid (metal) exposure has been associated with reduced human semen quality, no study has assessed the associations of exogenous metals in human spermatozoa with semen quality. Here, we developed a strategy to explore the associations between exogenous metals in spermatozoa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science & technology 2023-05, Vol.57 (19), p.7358-7369
Main Authors: Liu, Nian, Chen, Heng-Gui, Li, Yu, Zhang, Guohuan, Zhang, Jie, Qu, Guangbo, He, Bin, Meng, Tian-Qing, Xiong, Cheng-Liang, Pan, An, Yin, Yongguang, Liang, Yong, Shi, Jianbo, Wang, Yi-Xin, Hu, Ligang, Jiang, Guibin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cytometry
Ecotoxicology and Public Health
Health risks
Heavy metals
Heterogeneity
Humans
Lead
Male
Metals
Quality assessment
Regression analysis
Reproductive health
Semen
Semen Analysis
Sperm
Sperm Count
Sperm Motility
Spermatozoa
Tin
Yttrium
Zirconium
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Summary:While exogenous metal/metalloid (metal) exposure has been associated with reduced human semen quality, no study has assessed the associations of exogenous metals in human spermatozoa with semen quality. Here, we developed a strategy to explore the associations between exogenous metals in spermatozoa at single-cell resolution and human semen quality among 84 men screened as sperm donors, who provided 266 semen samples within 90 days. A cellular atlas of exogenous metals at the single-cell level was created with mass cytometry (CyTOF) technology, which concurrently displayed 18 metals in more than 50 000 single sperm. Exogenous metals in spermatozoa at single-cell resolution were extremely heterogeneous and diverse. Further analysis using multivariable linear regression and linear mixed-effects models revealed that the heterogeneity and prevalence of the exogenous metals at single-cell resolution were associated with semen quality. The heterogeneity of lead (Pb), tin (Sn), yttrium (Y), and zirconium (Zr) was negatively associated with sperm concentration and count, while their prevalence showed positive associations. These findings revealed that the heterogeneous properties of exogenous metals in spermatozoa were associated with human semen quality, highlighting the importance of assessing exogenous metals in spermatozoa at single-cell resolution to evaluate male reproductive health risk precisely.
ISSN:0013-936X
1520-5851
DOI:10.1021/acs.est.2c08838