Lv Shuya, Huang Jingrong, Luo Yadan, Wen Yuhang, Chen Baoting, Qiu Hao, Chen Huanxin, Yue Tianhao, He Lvqin, Feng Baochun, Yu Zehui, Zhao Mingde, Yang Qian, He Manli, Xiao Wudian, Zou Xiaoxia, Gu Congwei, Lu Ruilin
Laboratory Animal Centre, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
Model Animal and Human Disease Research of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
Front Microbiol. 2024 May 3;15:1371667. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1371667. eCollection 2024.
Globally, ~8%-12% of couples confront infertility issues, male-related issues being accountable for 50%. This review focuses on the influence of gut microbiota and their metabolites on the male reproductive system from five perspectives: sperm quality, testicular structure, sex hormones, sexual behavior, and probiotic supplementation. To improve sperm quality, gut microbiota can secrete metabolites by themselves or regulate host metabolites. Endotoxemia is a key factor in testicular structure damage that causes orchitis and disrupts the blood-testis barrier (BTB). In addition, the gut microbiota can regulate sex hormone levels by participating in the synthesis of sex hormone-related enzymes directly and participating in the enterohepatic circulation of sex hormones, and affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-testis (HPT) axis. They can also activate areas of the brain that control sexual arousal and behavior through metabolites. Probiotic supplementation can improve male reproductive function. Therefore, the gut microbiota may affect male reproductive function and behavior; however, further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying microbiota-mediated male infertility.
在全球范围内，约8%-12%的夫妇面临不孕问题，其中男性相关问题占50%。本综述从精子质量、睾丸结构、性激素、性行为和益生菌补充五个方面，聚焦肠道微生物群及其代谢产物对男性生殖系统的影响。为提高精子质量，肠道微生物群可自行分泌代谢产物或调节宿主代谢产物。内毒素血症是导致睾丸炎并破坏血睾屏障（BTB）的睾丸结构损伤的关键因素。此外，肠道微生物群可通过直接参与性激素相关酶的合成以及参与性激素的肠肝循环来调节性激素水平，并影响下丘脑-垂体-睾丸（HPT）轴。它们还可通过代谢产物激活控制性唤起和行为的脑区。补充益生菌可改善男性生殖功能。因此，肠道微生物群可能影响男性生殖功能和行为；然而，需要进一步研究以更好地理解微生物群介导的男性不育的潜在机制。
