Inorganic lead exposure in battery and paint factory: effect on human sperm structure and functional activity

Lead is one of the industrially important heavy metals that causes male reproductive impairment among battery and paint factory workers, but information on the structure-function integrity of human spermatozoa is still limited. Therefore, it was necessary to investigate the effect of lead on sperm structure and functional activity in these workers. Oligozoospermia with concomitant lowering of sperm protein and nucleic acid content and the percentage of sperm DNA hyploidy (P <0.001) suggested the diminution of sperm cell production after occupational lead exposure. Low sperm vitality and hypoosmotic swelling percentage along with high malondialdehyde content and altered seminal plasma ascorbate level (P<0.001) indicating damage of sperm cell surface, might be due to high membrane lipid peroxidation and failure of non-enzymatic antioxidant protection after lead exposure. Alteration of sperm membrane surface was also evidenced from scanning electron microscopy and further authenticated by atomic and lateral force microscopy. Lowering of sperm velocity, gross and forward progressive motility with high stationary motile spermatozoa (P<0.001) suggested retarded sperm activity among the exposed workers, which was supported by high seminal plasma fructose level and reduced activity of sperm ATPase (P < 0.001). Increased incidence of teratozoospermia was also associated with high blood and semen lead level (PbB, PbS) (P<0.001). Therefore, the results suggested that lead not only affects the sperm count, but also damages the sperm structure and membrane integrity, motility and functional activity among the battery and paint factory workers.