PATERNAL EXPOSURES - IMPACT ON REPRODUCTIVE AND DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME, AN OVERVIEW

Experimental and epidemiologic investigations document the adverse con sequences of an array of paternal exposures on the development of subs equent offspring. Male-mediated abnormalities have been reported after exposure to therapeutic and recreational drugs, to chemicals in the w orkplace and environment and to ionizing radiation. The impact on prog eny outcome includes:an increase in congenital malformations, spontane ous abortions, fetal resorptions; low birth weight; increase in childh ood cancers; developmental, neurobehavioral, neuroendocrine, neurochem ical abnormalities; effects in F-2 generation progeny. Fertility is of ten unaffected. The comparative influence of generic, epigenetic and n ongenetic mechanisms in the etiology of paternally-mediated adverse ou tcomes is unknown. There is no a priori reason to assume that male-med iated effects are limited to the agents studied to date. The broad spe ctrum of alterations recorded after exposure to a variety of unrelated agents suggests the need for a more focused effort and multidisciplin ary exploration of the potential impact of the male parent on reproduc tive outcome. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Inc.