Sperm-FISH analysis and human monitoring: a study on workers occupationally exposed to styrene.

摘要: Occupational exposure to styrene, a chemical extensively used worldwide, is under investigation for possible detrimental effects on human health, including male reproductive capacity. Aneuploidy in germ cells the main cause of infertility, abortions and congenital diseases. Fluorescence situ hybridisation (FISH), most efficient cytogenetic molecular technique date analyse numerical alterations chromosomes spermatozoa. We investigated frequencies aneuploidy diploidy individuals occupationally exposed styrene healthy unexposed controls. performed multicolour FISH, using DNA probes specific centromeric regions sex chromosome 2, decondensed sperm nuclei samples with normal semen parameters total 18 styrene-exposed subjects 13 controls same age range. Exposed had worked at least 2 years during last 5 years, continuously 6 months, factories producing reinforced plastics. The incidence tested did not show statistically significant difference between workers was associated increased nullisomy group non-smokers, although only limited number belonged this sub-group. Considering whole study population, an frequency XX disomy, whereas smoking meiosis II non-disjunction chromosomes. Overall, confounding factors appeared exert more important effect than selected parameters.