The adverse impact of herbicide Roundup Ultra Plus in human spermatozoa plasma membrane is caused by its surfactant

The scarce research about the worldwide used glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup is controversial in human reproduction, especially spermatozoa. This study investigates the in vitro effect in human spermatozoa of Roundup Ultra Plus (RUP), its active ingredient glyphosate and its non-active, surfactant. Human spermatozoa were incubated (1 h, 37 °C) in presence/absence of RUP 0.01%, glyphosate, or equivalent surfactant concentration. Motility and sperm parameters were analyzed by C.A.S.A and flow cytometry, respectively. RUP significantly increases sperm plasma membrane lipid disorganization in a concentration-dependent manner while it decreases plasma membrane integrity. RUP significantly increases the death spermatozoa population after A23187-induced acrosome reaction, without affecting sperm viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, ROS content, acrosome membrane damage, phosphatidylserine exposure, A23187-induced acrosome reaction or GSK3 phosphorylation. RUP also significantly decreases motile and the a + b sperm populations. Interestingly, all sperm effects caused by RUP 0.01% are mimicked by its surfactant POEA at equivalent concentration. However, glyphosate does not affect any sperm parameter, even using 10-times higher concentration than the RUP 0.01% equivalent. RUP disturbs lipid organization and integrity of human sperm plasma membrane and reduces motility, without affecting viability or functional parameters. Importantly, RUP adverse effects in human spermatozoa are caused by the surfactant and no by glyphosate.