Sperm changes documented years after chemotherapy

Sperm changes documented years after chemotherapy

A Washington State University researcher has documented epigenetic changes in the sperm of men who underwent chemotherapy in their teens. The changes can influence how genes are turned on an off, potentially affecting the health of tissues in subsequent generations, said Michael Skinner, a professor in the WSU School of Biological Sciences and Center for Reproductive Biology. He is suggesting that teens about to undergo chemotherapy have some of their sperm preserved for when they would like to start a family. "I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't use chemo," he said. "In fact, I would suggest that you probably should use the chemo. I'm just saying that there are some preventative things that may need to be put in place before you use the chemo if possible." Skinner is a leading expert in the field of epigenetics, which looks at changes in how genetic information is passed between generations. While certain environmental exposures can leave DNA sequences unaffected, he has documented how epigenetic change—alterations of small chemical groups attached to the DNA—affects how genes are turned on and off. His earlier work has found epigenetic effects from a host of environmental toxicants, connecting plastics, pesticides, fungicide, dioxin and hydrocarbons to diseases and abnormalities as many as four generations later.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-02-sperm-documented-years-chemotherapy.html#jCp