Correlation of Internal Exposure Levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons to Methylation of Imprinting Genes of Sperm DNA

Yufeng Ma, Zhaoxu Lu, Li Wang and Mei Qiang
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Yufeng Ma: Department of Children and Adolescences Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
Zhaoxu Lu: Department of Children and Adolescences Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
Li Wang: Department of Children and Adolescences Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
Mei Qiang: Department of Children and Adolescences Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 14, 1-11

Abstract: Human exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) results in adverse health implications. However, the specific impact of paternal preconception PAHs exposure has not been fully studied. In this study, a total of 219 men aged 24–53 were recruited and an investigation was conducted using a questionnaire requesting information about age, occupation, education, family history, lifestyle, and dietary preferences. Urine and semen samples were examined for the levels of the hydroxyl metabolites of PAHs (OH-PAHs) using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and sperm DNA methylation by pyrosequencing. The results from the correlation analysis using seven OH-PAHs and the average methylation levels of the imprinting genes H19 , PEG3 , and MEG3 indicated that 1-OHPH is positively correlated with H19 / PEG3 methylation levels. We further examined the correlation between each OH-PAH and the methylation levels at the individual CpGs. The results showed 1-OHPH is specifically correlated with CpG4 and CpG6 of the imprinted gene H19 , CpG1 and CpG2 of PEG3, and CpG2 of MEG3 ; whereas 1-OHP is positively correlated with PEG3 at CpG1. Multivariate regression model analysis confirmed that 1-OHPH and 1-OHP are independent risk factors for the methylation of H19 . These data show that sperm DNA imprinting genes are sensitive to adverse environmental perturbations.

Keywords: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; embryonic development; imprinted genes; methylation; sperm (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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