{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,1]],"date-time":"2026-08-01T01:53:09Z","timestamp":1785549189784,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,18]],"date-time":"2023-05-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1684368000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Cell Dev. Biol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Environmental pollutants are claimed to be major factors involved in the progressive decline of the fertility rate worldwide. Exposure to the heavy metal Cadmium (Cd) has been associated with reproductive toxicity due to its ionic mimicry. However, the possible direct accumulation of Cd in human sperm cells has been poorly investigated. In this study, we aimed to clarify the possible direct effect of Cd exposure on sperm function through the analysis of its cell accumulation. Semen samples from 30 male subjects residing in high environmental impact areas and adhering to the \u201cExposoma e Plurifocalit\u00e0 nella Prevenzione Oncologica\u201d campaign for testis cancer prevention were compared with semen samples from 15 males residing in low exposure areas. Semen levels and cell Cd content were quantified by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy. Cell Cd distribution was assessed by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). The impact of Cd on sperm function was evaluated by the <jats:italic>in vitro<\/jats:italic> exposure to the heavy metal, whilst possible scavenging approaches\/agents were assessed. In addition to higher values of semen Cd, exposed subjects showed a reduction in total motile sperm fraction compared to not-exposed controls (59.6% \u00b1 13.6% vs<jats:italic>.<\/jats:italic> 66.3% \u00b1 7.3%, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> = 0.037). Semen Cd levels were also significantly correlated with SEM-EDS signals of Cd detected on the head and neck of sperm (respectively <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> = 0.738, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> &amp;lt; 0.001 and <jats:italic>\u03c1<\/jats:italic> = 0.465, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> &amp;lt; 0.001). A total of 2\u00a0h of <jats:italic>in vitro<\/jats:italic> exposure to 0.5\u00a0\u03bcM Cd was associated with a significant reduction of sperm progressive motility. Scavenging approaches with either hypo-osmotic swelling or 10\u00a0\u03bcM reduced glutathione were ineffective in blunting cell Cd and restoring motility. The reduction of exposure levels appears to be the main approach to reducing the reproductive issues associated with Cd.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fcell.2023.1134304","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,18]],"date-time":"2023-05-18T07:27:06Z","timestamp":1684394826000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Seminal cadmium affects human sperm motility through stable binding to the cell membrane"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Claudia","family":"Pappalardo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ilaria","family":"Cosci","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giulia","family":"Moro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Angela Maria","family":"Stortini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Annalisa","family":"Sandon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Cristina","family":"De Angelis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giacomo","family":"Galdiero","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marco","family":"Trifuoggi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rosario","family":"Pivonello","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Federica","family":"Pedrucci","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Andrea","family":"Di Nisio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Carlo","family":"Foresta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alberto","family":"Ferlin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Luca","family":"De Toni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"249","DOI":"10.1289\/ehp.8454249","article-title":"Chelation of cadmium","volume":"54","author":"Andersen","year":"1984","journal-title":"Environ. 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