PRESENCE OF BISPHENOL A IN SEMINAL PLASMA IS ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER SEMEN PARAMETERS, ESPECIALLY IN MEN WITH VARICOCELE

Human spermatogenesis can be influenced by a range of chemicals released or naturally present our environment. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a very frequent compound commonly used as softener in production of plastics. BPA is frequently associated with negative impacts on male reproduction. However, a direct effect of BPA on spermatozoa or spermatogenesis is still unclear. In this study, we have analysed relationship between concentration of BPA in seminal plasma and spermiogram parameters in men with varicocele. The aim of this study was to verify the hypothesis that high concentrations of BPA in seminal plasma have a direct negative impact on human spermatozoa. A total of 149 normozoospermic patients aged 18 to 43 years, with BMI between 20.1-31.9 were included in this prospective study from 2018 to 2020. In this group, varicocele (Grade I) was diagnosed in 61 men. None of them had urogenital infections or other urological problems. After spermiogram analyses, seminal plasma was collected by centrifugation for 15 min at 3000 g. DNA integrity was analysed by HALO sperm kit. BPA was extracted using solvent extraction followed by preconcentration step. The samples were analysed on Agilent 6495 Triple Quadrupole (Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA) operating in the ESI-negative mode. Two MS/MS transitions were used for quantitative LC-MS/MS analyses. Chromatographic separation was achieved on Waters™ ACQUITY™ UPLC™BEH C18 (100 × 2.1 mm, 1.7 μm) column using gradient elution with a mixture of 0.1mM ammonium fluoride and methanol as mobile phases. The analysis confirmed the presence of BPA in 121 samples of seminal plasma (81.2 % of all the samples). In 28 samples, the concentration was under the limit of detection and in 16 samples under the limit of quantification. Very high concentrations were detected (>0.1 ng/ml) in 90 samples. There were no statistically significant differences between the concentration of BPA and sperm morphology. In case of the DNA integrity, higher proportions of spermatozoa with fragmented DNA were found in samples with higher concentrations of BPA in varicocele men. Contrary, in case of sperm concentration, a relationship between increasing BPA concentration and significantly lower sperm concentration was observed in varicocele group, but not in non-varicocele patients. Evaluation of BPA concentration and motility (progressive and total) revealed the same trend with negative correlation between BPA concentration and motility (progressive and total) but also only in varicocele patients. BPA was detected in 81.2 % of the analysed samples. Negative correlation was found between BPA concentration in seminal plasma and sperm concentration, progressive motility, total motility and proportion of spermatozoa with non-fragmented DNA in men with varicocele