The Action of Oil-Related Environmental Pollutants on Male Reproductive System

The low-weight aromatic hydrocarbons benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m/p-xylene, and o-xylene (BTEX), are among the most common hazardous sources of environmental contamination. The present review is the first summarization the data obtained during epidemiological, animals and cell culture studies concerning BTEX action on different aspects of male reproductiontesticular cell apoptosis, spermatogenesis, cytogenetics, pituitary and peripheral hormones and intracellular signaling systems. Analysis of the available literature demonstrates that BTEX can exert hazardous effects on various reproductive sites, including the pituitary-gonadal axis, hormone receptors and intracellular signaling molecules, testicular cell apoptosis, spermatogenesis and fertility. There are indications, that BTEX reproductive effects could be due to the ability of BTEX to affect embryonal gonads, to induce testicular cell mutagenesis and destroy chromosomes, to promote accumulation of free radicals, to affect hormones and hormonal receptors, cell cycle and CNS structures regulating reproduction, but only the role of free radicals in mediating BTEX action on male reproduction has been proven by experiments yet. Some approaches to prevent negative action of BTEX are outlined.