Reduction in fertility of male mice after exposure to high environmental pressure

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Abstract
Male mice were exposed to 50 ATA heliox pressure to study whether their functional fertility was affected. In series I, control mice were exposed to 1 ATA air; in series II controls were exposed to 5 ATA heliox, which enabled the PO2 and environmental temperature to be maintained at equivalent levels to the pressure group. After exposure during one spermatogenic cycle, the mice were mated with untreated females. There was a dramatic reduction in fertility in the pressure groups, with males in both series I and II showing a 65% reduction in fertility. Overall results were as follows: 19.5% pregnant females mated with the pressure groups compared with 55% pregnant in the control groups. Litter sizes in the pressure groups were reduced by 44%, but there was no evidence of any pressure-related teratological effect. This reduction in fertility appears to be due to high pressure per se and not to the high environmental temperature and PO2 associated with heliox atmospheres.