Abstract

HIGH LEVELS OF DNA FRAGMENTATION OBSERVED IN NORMOSPERMIC MEN DUE TO EXPOSURE TO PESTICIDES

*Shkelzen Elezaj, Zafer Gashi, Afrim Zeqiraj, Driton Grabanica, Isak Shabanaj, Fitore Gashi

Abstract

Recent studies suggest that sperm DNA integrity may be altered by environmental exposure to some toxic chemicals (Aitken RJ, De Luiis GN., 2010). DNA fragmentation may be an excellent marker for exposure to potential reproductive toxicants and a diagnostic tool for male infertility (Ozmen B, et al., 2007). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between sperm DNA fragmentation in the population that lives in an environment of air pollution and exposure to pesticides. Patients and selection. Total 164 samples of semen from fertile men with respect to the parameters of semen and DNA fragmentation. This is a prospective study observation spent on Andrology Laboratory Polyclinic,, Biolab-Zafi,, in Klina in the Republic of Kosovo from April 2015 to Februare 2016. A portion of each semen sample was used to analyze the following parameters according to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines (2010). Halosperm is the SCD test based on the ability of intact DNA with deproteinized nuclei to create loops around nuclear matrix. Deproteinized nuclei create the halos of dispersed DNA that correspond to relaxed DNA loops attached to the residual nuclear structure (core) (Fernández et al., 2005). Results. The group of respondents farmers (exposed to pesticides) that have been tested in the period spring - summer, have a higher percentage index fragmented sperm (DFI = 36.2 ± 4.85), in contrast to the other two groups; Group 2 (air pollution), DFI = 27.8 ± 1.3, and the Group 1 (normal control), DFI = 18.5 ± 6.5 (** P

Keywords: Pesticides, DNA, Sperm DNA fragmentation, Sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA).