The association of exposure to multiple metals with the risk of idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia: The mediating role of sperm chromatin

This study demonstrates that exposure to metals may compromise sperm DNA integrity, increase the proportion of immature sperm nuclei, and the risk of iOAT. Specifically, elevated Cr levels in seminal plasma were consistently and positively associated with high sperm DFI, high sperm HDS, and iOAT risk. The results also indicated that sperm DFI mediated the association between Tl exposure and iOAT risk, but these mediating effects were not observed for sperm HDS on the relationship of Cr and Ni exposure with iOAT risk. This highlights the need for further investigations to clarify this complex relationship. Overall, our findings underscore the need to formulate environmental policies aimed at reducing exposure to harmful metals to promote male reproductive health.