Air pollution linked to infertility in mice: study

          Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 02:15:52|Editor: yan
          Video PlayerClose

          WASHINGTON, March 24 (Xinhua) -- A study showed that exposure to tiny air pollution particles may reduce sperm production.

          The findings released on Sunday and to be presented on Monday on the ongoing Endocrine Society's annual meeting in New Orleans showed that the exposure to particulate matter with diameters that are 2.5 micrometers or smaller (PM2.5) could lead to changes in the levels of genes related to testicular cell function in mice.

          "Infertility rates are increasing around the world, and air pollution may be one of the main factors," said the study's lead researcher Elaine Maria Frade Costa with Sao Paulo University.

          The researchers analyzed the testes of the mice and their production of sperm. They found that the tubes in the testes producing sperm of all the exposed mice showed signs of deterioration.

          In comparison with the mice not exposed to PM2.5, the sperm of those exposed before and after birth was of significantly worse quality. Exposure to PM2.5 after birth seemed to be the most harmful to testicular function, according to the study.

          The researchers said those changes are not caused by changes in the DNA sequence but by epigenetic changes. The epigenetic changes can switch genes on or off and determine which proteins a gene expresses.

          The study demonstrates for the first time that exposure to air pollution of a large city could impair production of sperm through epigenetics.

          TOP STORIES
          EDITOR’S CHOICE
          MOST VIEWED
          EXPLORE XINHUANET
          010020070750000000000000011105521379207251
          无码人妻一区二区三区四区av_亚洲精品911在线永久观看_精品一区二区国产在线观看_日韩不卡一区二区视频在线

                  亚洲精品在线观看视频 | 午夜免费久久久久 | 亚洲午夜福利片高清 | 在线观看亚洲精品自拍 | 日韩AV中文在线播放 | 亚洲午夜理论片在线观看 |