An Overview of Essential Microelements and Common Metallic Nanoparticles and Their Effects on Male Fertility

Ryszard Maciejewski, Elżbieta Radzikowska-Büchner, Wojciech Flieger, Kinga Kulczycka, Jacek Baj, Alicja Forma and Jolanta Flieger ()
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Ryszard Maciejewski: Department of Anatomy, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Poland
Elżbieta Radzikowska-Büchner: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Maxillary Surgery, CSK MSWiA, 02-507 Warszawa, Poland
Wojciech Flieger: Department of Anatomy, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Poland
Kinga Kulczycka: Institute of Health Sciences, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, 20-708 Lublin, Poland
Jacek Baj: Department of Anatomy, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Poland
Alicja Forma: Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, ul. Jaczewskiego 8B, 20-090 Lublin, Poland
Jolanta Flieger: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, Chodźki 4A, 20-093 Lublin, Poland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 17, 1-36

Abstract: Numerous factors affect reproduction, including stress, diet, obesity, the use of stimulants, or exposure to toxins, along with heavy elements (lead, silver, cadmium, uranium, vanadium, mercury, arsenic). Metals, like other xenotoxins, can cause infertility through, e.g., impairment of endocrine function and gametogenesis or excess production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The advancement of nanotechnology has created another hazard to human safety through exposure to metals in the form of nanomaterials (NMs). Nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit a specific ability to penetrate cell membranes and biological barriers in the human body. These ultra-fine particles (<100 nm) can enter the human body through the respiratory tract, food, skin, injection, or implantation. Once absorbed, NPs are transported to various organs through the blood or lymph. Absorbed NPs, thanks to ultrahigh reactivity compared to bulk materials in microscale size, disrupt the homeostasis of the body as a result of interaction with biological molecules such as DNA, lipids, and proteins; interfering with the functioning of cells, organs, and physiological systems; and leading to severe pathological dysfunctions. Over the past decades, much research has been performed on the reproductive effects of essential trace elements. The research hypothesis that disturbances in the metabolism of trace elements are one of the many causes of infertility has been unquestionably confirmed. This review examines the complex reproductive risks for men regarding the exposure to potentially harmless xenobiotics based on a series of 298 articles over the past 30 years. The research was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases searching for papers devoted to in vivo and in vitro studies related to the influence of essential elements (iron, selenium, manganese, cobalt, zinc, copper, and molybdenum) and widely used metallic NPs on male reproduction potential.

Keywords: male fertility; reproduction; essential metals; nanoparticles; toxicity; environmental factor; public health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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