Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology of Peri-implantation, Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
Shenzhen Zhongshan Institute for Reproduction and Genetics, Fertility Center, Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
Front Immunol. 2021 Jul 21;12:658432. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.658432. eCollection 2021.
The physiological process of male reproduction relies on the orchestration of neuroendocrine, immune, and energy metabolism. Spermatogenesis is controlled by the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular (HPT) axis, which modulates the production of gonadal steroid hormones in the testes. The immune cells and cytokines in testes provide a protective microenvironment for the development and maturation of germ cells. The metabolic cellular responses and processes in testes provide energy production and biosynthetic precursors to regulate germ cell development and control testicular immunity and inflammation. The metabolism of immune cells is crucial for both inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses, which supposes to affect the spermatogenesis in testes. In this review, the role of immunometabolism in male reproduction will be highlighted. Obesity, metabolic dysfunction, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, are well documented to impact male fertility; thus, their impacts on the immune cells distributed in testes will also be discussed. Finally, the potential significance of the medicine targeting the specific metabolic intermediates or immune metabolism checkpoints to improve male reproduction will also be reassessed.
男性生殖的生理过程依赖于神经内分泌、免疫和能量代谢的协调。精子发生受下丘脑-垂体-睾丸(HPT)轴的控制,该轴调节睾丸中性腺类固醇激素的产生。睾丸中的免疫细胞和细胞因子为精原细胞的发育和成熟提供了一个保护性的微环境。睾丸中的代谢细胞反应和过程为调节精原细胞发育和控制睾丸免疫和炎症提供了能量产生和生物合成前体。免疫细胞的代谢对于炎症和抗炎反应都至关重要,这可能会影响睾丸中的精子发生。在这篇综述中,将强调免疫代谢在男性生殖中的作用。肥胖症、代谢功能障碍(如 2 型糖尿病)已被充分证明会影响男性生育能力;因此,也将讨论它们对分布在睾丸中的免疫细胞的影响。最后,还将重新评估针对特定代谢中间产物或免疫代谢检查点的药物对改善男性生殖的潜在意义。