Branco Sara R, Alves Marco G, Oliveira Pedro Fontes, Zamoner Ariane
LAQV-REQUIMTE and Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
Antioxidants (Basel). 2025 Aug 22;14(9):1036. doi: 10.3390/antiox14091036.
Glyphosate, the active ingredient in many herbicides, has been extensively used in agricultural practices worldwide, leading to environmental persistence of the herbicide and its main metabolite, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), particularly in water and soil. Despite a short half-life in biological fluids, frequent detection of glyphosate and AMPA in urine samples suggests ongoing human exposure. Evidence indicates that glyphosate and AMPA may exert endocrine-disrupting effects on testicular function. Glyphosate exposure may disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, impacting serum testosterone levels and other key hormones involved in spermatogenesis and fertility. It has also been shown to impair key cellular processes within the male reproductive system, including oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and hormone biosynthesis. These findings raise concerns about the herbicide's ability to compromise sperm production, structure, and motility, which are crucial factors for male fertility. This review examines the mechanisms underlying glyphosate-induced testicular toxicity, emphasizing endocrine disruption, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction, and highlights the need for further studies on long-term effects across different life stages and genetic backgrounds. Glyphosate-induced testicular toxicity can be counteracted by antioxidant agents, which emerge as promising therapeutic strategies in need of further investigation.
草甘膦是许多除草剂中的活性成分，已在全球农业实践中广泛使用，导致该除草剂及其主要代谢产物氨甲基膦酸（AMPA）在环境中持续存在，尤其是在水和土壤中。尽管草甘膦在生物体液中的半衰期较短，但在尿液样本中频繁检测到草甘膦和AMPA表明人类持续暴露于其中。有证据表明，草甘膦和AMPA可能对睾丸功能产生内分泌干扰作用。接触草甘膦可能会破坏下丘脑 - 垂体 - 性腺轴，影响血清睾酮水平以及其他参与精子发生和生育的关键激素。研究还表明，它会损害男性生殖系统内的关键细胞过程，包括氧化应激、线粒体功能障碍和激素生物合成。这些发现引发了人们对该除草剂损害精子产生、结构和活力能力的担忧，而这些因素对男性生育能力至关重要。本综述探讨了草甘膦诱导睾丸毒性的潜在机制，重点关注内分泌干扰、氧化应激和线粒体功能障碍，并强调需要对不同生命阶段和遗传背景下的长期影响进行进一步研究。草甘膦诱导的睾丸毒性可通过抗氧化剂来对抗，抗氧化剂有望成为需要进一步研究的治疗策略。
