Zhou Ye, Zhang Hengyan, Yan Heguo, Han Pingxing, Zhang Jing, Liu Yangwen
Department of Reproductive Medicine, Zhaotong Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 657000 Zhaotong, Yunnan, China.
Department of Dermatology, Zhaotong Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 657000 Zhaotong, Yunnan, China.
Front Biosci (Landmark Ed). 2025 Mar 31;30(4):27046. doi: 10.31083/FBL27046.
Male infertility represents a major health concern, accounting for approximately 50% of all infertility cases in couples. This condition arises from multiple etiologies, with oxidative stress gaining increasing attention in recent studies. During the final stages of sperm maturation, the majority of the cytoplasm is discarded, leaving sperm with a diminished antioxidant defense system, which makes them highly susceptible to the detrimental effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS can be generated from both intrinsic and extrinsic sources. Intrinsically, ROS are primarily produced by mitochondrial activity, while extrinsic factors include alcohol consumption, smoking, circadian rhythm disruption, gut microbiota imbalance, and leukocyte infiltration. Excessive ROS production leads to DNA damage, apoptosis, and epigenetic modifications in sperm, ultimately impairing sperm motility and contributing to infertility. This review provides a comprehensive examination of ROS sources and examines the mechanisms by which ROS induce sperm damage. Furthermore, it explores the therapeutic potential of antioxidants in mitigating oxidative stress and improving sperm quality.
男性不育是一个重大的健康问题，约占所有不孕夫妇病例的50%。这种情况由多种病因引起，氧化应激在最近的研究中越来越受到关注。在精子成熟的最后阶段，大部分细胞质被丢弃，使精子的抗氧化防御系统减弱，这使得它们极易受到活性氧（ROS）的有害影响。ROS可由内在和外在来源产生。在内在方面，ROS主要由线粒体活动产生，而外在因素包括饮酒、吸烟、昼夜节律紊乱、肠道微生物群失衡和白细胞浸润。过量的ROS产生会导致精子DNA损伤、凋亡和表观遗传修饰，最终损害精子活力并导致不育。本综述全面考察了ROS的来源，并探讨了ROS诱导精子损伤的机制。此外，还探讨了抗氧化剂在减轻氧化应激和改善精子质量方面的治疗潜力。
