Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in human serum, semen and indoor dust: Effects on hormones balance and semen quality

Abstract Exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), especially their intake from indoor dust, may result in the dysregulation of human thyroid hormones, endocrine disruption, and in poor semen quality. We used multiple linear regression (MLR) models to determine the influence of the levels of PBDEs present in indoor dust and in the serum and semen of male individuals on the quality of human semen, as well as on the levels of reproductive and thyroid hormones. The results revealed significant interactions between PBDEs (such as BDE47, BDE153, and BDE154) in these media and the male reproductive system after adjusting for covariates. The levels of PBDE congeners in semen had pronounced negative association with semen volume, sperm count, and motility, and also had positive or negative association with reproductive hormones (including testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and estradiol), aromatase activity, and Leydig cell function, and thyroid hormone (including sensitivity to thyroid-stimulating hormone). The results were the same for the levels of PBDE congeners in serum and house dust, which had similar negative or positive correlations with semen quality, sex hormones, and thyroid hormone factors. Taken together, our findings suggest that exposure to PBDEs might decrease the semen quality and disrupt the balance of reproductive and thyroid hormones in the human body.