Exposure to trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) has been associated with impaired semen quality; however, its association with spermatozoa apoptosis and DNA damage remains unclear. We, therefore, collected single semen and repeated urine samples from male partners of couples attending a reproductive center, which were measured for spermatozoa apoptosis and DNA damage parameters and TCAA concentrations, respectively. Multivariable linear regression models were used to explore the associations between urinary TCAA concentrations and spermatozoa apoptosis (n = 462) and DNA damage parameters (n = 512). After adjusting for potential confounders, positive dose-response relationships were found between urinary TCAA concentrations and percentage of tail DNA (tail%) and tail-distributed moment (TDM) (both p for trend <0.10). Compared with men in the lowest tertile of urinary TCAA concentrations, men in the highest tertile had a greater tail% and TDM of 6.2% (95% CI: 0.7, 12.2%) and 8.9% (95% CI: -1.9, 20.5%), respectively. Urinary TCAA concentrations were unrelated to spermatozoa apoptosis parameters in a dose-response manner. However, urinary TCAA concentrations were positively associated with the percentage of Annexin V+/PI- spermatozoa (apoptotic cells), when urinary TCAA concentrations were modeled as continuous variables. Our results suggest that exposure to TCAA at concentrations in real-world scenarios may be associated with spermatozoa apoptosis and DNA damage.
Keywords: DNA damage; apoptosis; epidemiology; reproductive health; spermatozoa; trichloroacetic acid.