Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31924220›Full record

ArticleParticle and fibre toxicology2020

Inhalation of welding fumes reduced sperm counts and high fat diet reduced testosterone levels; differential effects in Sprague Dawley and Brown Norway rats.

Astrid Skovmand, Aaron Erdely, James M Antonini, Timothy R Nurkiewicz, Mohammad Shoeb, Tracy Eye, Vamsi Kodali, Katrin Loeschner, Janja Vidmar, Jørgen S Agerholm and 3 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Particle and fibre toxicology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 22% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor: a new frontier in male reproductive system.Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E · 2025
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors at 6 institutions in 3 countries.

Astrid SkovmandThe National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé, DK-2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark. aes@nrcwe.dk.ORCID 0000-0002-6365-674X
Aaron ErdelyNational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, WV, USA.
James M AntoniniNational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, WV, USA.
Timothy R NurkiewiczNational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, WV, USA.
Mohammad ShoebNational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, WV, USA.
Tracy EyeNational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, WV, USA.
Vamsi KodaliNational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, WV, USA.
Katrin LoeschnerNational Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet 201, DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
Janja VidmarNational Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet 201, DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
Jørgen S AgerholmDepartment of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Dyrlægvej 16, DK-1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
Sandra Goericke-PeschReproductive Unit of the Clinics - Clinic for Small Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, Bünteweg 15, 30559, Hannover, Germany.
Ulla VogelThe National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé, DK-2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
Karin S HougaardThe National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé, DK-2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health · USUniversity of Copenhagen · DKWest Virginia University · USTechnical University of Denmark · DKØrsted (Denmark) · DKUniversity of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation · DE

Funding

Remote Microvascular Dysfunction After Particulate Matter ExposureR01ES015022 · NIEHS · WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY · PI NURKIEWICZ, TIMOTHY R · 2007 to 2021
$4.9M
NIEHS NIH HHS R01 ES015022
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPrevious studies have shown that inhalation of welding fumes may induce pulmonary and systemic inflammation and organ accumulation of metal, to which spermatogenesis and endocrine function may be sensitive. Also obesity may induce low-grade systemic inflammation. This study aimed to investigate the effects on sperm production of inhaled metal nanoparticles from stainless steel welding, and the potential exacerbation by intake of a high fat diet. Both the inbred Brown Norway and the outbred Sprague Dawley rat strains were included to study the influence of strain on the detection of toxicity. Rats were fed regular or high fat (HF) diet for 24 weeks and were exposed to 20 mg/m

resultsAt week 12, the GMA-SS exposure induced pulmonary inflammation in both strains, without consistent changes in markers of systemic inflammation (CRP, MCP-1, IL-6 and TNFα). GMA-SS exposure lowered daily sperm production compared to air controls in Sprague Dawley rats, but only in GMA-SS Brown Norway rats also fed the HF diet. Overall, HF diet rats had lower serum testosterone levels compared to rats on regular diet. Metal content in the testes was assessed in a limited number of samples in Brown Norway rats, but no increase was obsedrved. At week 24, bronchoalveolar lavage cell counts had returned to background levels for GMA-SS exposed Sprague Dawley rats but remained elevated in Brown Norway rats. GMA-SS did not affect daily sperm production statistically significantly at this time point, but testicular weights were lowered in GMA-SS Sprague Dawley rats. Serum testosterone remained lowered in Sprague Dawley rats fed the HF diet.

conclusionExposure to GMA-SS welding fumes lowered sperm production in two strains of rats, whereas high fat diet lowered serum testosterone. The effect on sperm counts was likely not mediated by inflammation or lowered testosterone levels. The studied reproductive outcomes seemed more prone to disruption in the Sprague Dawley compared to the Brown Norway strain.

Indexed as

WeldingAir PollutantsAnimalsBiomarkersDiet, High-FatInhalation ExposurePneumoniaRats, Sprague-DawleySpecies SpecificitySpermatogenesisSperm CountStainless SteelTestosteroneAir PollutantsBiomarkersStainless SteelTestosterone

Identifiers

PMID31924220
PMCPMC6954601
OpenAlexW3000303797

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.