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COTININE CONCENTRATIONS IN SEMEN, URINE AND BLOOD OF SMOKERS AND NONSMOKERS
Citation:
Vine, M., B. Hulka, B. Margolin, Y. Truong, P. Hu, M. Schramm, J. Griffith, M. McCann, AND R. Everson. COTININE CONCENTRATIONS IN SEMEN, URINE AND BLOOD OF SMOKERS AND NONSMOKERS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-94/026 (NTIS PB94137288).
Description:
The extent to which ambient exposures to environmental chemicals results in exposures to human genetic material is poorly understood. he purpose of the current study is to document the presence of cotinine, a metabolite of nicotine but not a known mutagen, in the semen of men exposed to cigarette smoke to show the potential for mutagenic agents in cigarette smoke to reach germ calls and to determine whether urine or blood cotinine values are an appropriate surrogate for semen values. ighty-eight healthy white men (25 heavy smokers, 23 light smokers, and 40 nonsmokers) aged 18 to 35 were recruited via newspaper advertisements in the Chapel Hill, NC, area and asked to provide blood (45 ml) , urine and semen specimens. ach participant completed a self-administered questionnaire concerning smoke exposure, demographic information, and other relevant exposures. cotinine analyses were performed via radioimmunoassay. esults showed that cotinine could be detected in the semen, urine, and blood of me who were actively and passively exposed to cigarette smoke. cotinine levels in semen and blood were of similar magnitude; urine cotinine levels were much higher. he presence of cotinine in semen suggests the possibility that mutagenic agents in cigarette smoke may reach germ cells, potentially leading to heritable mutation.