Exploring the interplay between inflammation and male fertility

Oleksandra Fomichova; Pedro F. Oliveira; Raquel L. Bernardino

doi:10.1111/febs.17366

journal article Dec 19, 2024

Exploring the interplay between inflammation and male fertility

Oleksandra Fomichova Pedro F. Oliveira

Raquel L. Bernardino

The FEBS Journal Vol. 292 No. 13 pp. 3321-3349 · Wiley

View at Publisher Save 10.1111/febs.17366

Abstract

Male fertility results from a complex interplay of physiological, environmental, and genetic factors. It is conditioned by the properly developed anatomy of the reproductive system, hormonal regulation balance, and the interplay between different cell populations that sustain an appropriate and functional environment in the testes. Unfortunately, the mechanisms sustaining male fertility are not flawless and their perturbation can lead to infertility. Inflammation is one of the factors that contribute to male infertility. In the testes, it can be brought on by varicocele, obesity, gonadal infections, leukocytospermia, physical obstructions or traumas, and consumption of toxic substances. As a result of prolonged or untreated inflammation, the testicular resident cells that sustain spermatogenesis can suffer DNA damage, lipid and protein oxidation, and mitochondrial dysfunction consequently leading to loss of function in affected Sertoli cells (SCs) and Leydig cells (LCs), and the formation of morphologically abnormal dysfunctional sperm cells that lay in the basis of male infertility and subfertility. This is due mainly to the production and secretion of pro‐inflammatory mediators, including cytokines, chemokines, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) by local immune cells (macrophages, lymphocytes T, mast cells) and tissue‐specific cells [SCs, LCs, peritubular myoid cells (PMCs) and germ cells (GCs)]. Depending on the location, duration, and intensity of inflammation, these mediators can exert their toxic effect on different elements of the testes. In this review, we discuss the most prevalent inflammatory factors that negatively affect male fertility and describe the different ways inflammation can impair male reproductive function.

Topics

No keywords indexed for this article. Browse by subject →

References

345

[1]

OECD(2023)Fertility rates (indicator).https://data.oecd.org/pop/fertility‐rates.htm. Accessed 19 September 2023.

[2]

10.1093/humrep/deac011

[3]

WHO(2023)Infertility prevalence estimates 1990–2021.https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/978920068315. Accessed 19 September 2023.

[4]

The International Glossary on Infertility and Fertility Care, 2017

Fernando Zegers-Hochschild, G. David Adamson, Silke Dyer et al.

Fertility and Sterility 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2017.06.005

[5]

<p>Some of the Factors Involved in Male Infertility: A Prospective Review</p>

Ali Khodadadian, Majid Nazari, Sina Ghasemifar

International Journal of General Medicine 10.2147/ijgm.s241099

[6]

10.2307/3343513

[7]

Recent advances in understanding and managing male infertility

Jonathan Fainberg, James A. Kashanian

F1000Research 10.12688/f1000research.17076.1

[8]

Walsh TJ (2020)

[9]

Genetic causes of male infertility

Alberto Ferlin, Barbara Arredi, Carlo Foresta

Reproductive Toxicology 10.1016/j.reprotox.2006.04.016

[10]

EAU Guidelines on Male Infertility

G DOHLE, G COLPI, T HARGREAVE et al.

European Urology 10.1016/j.eururo.2005.06.002

[11]

10.21037/amj.2019.01.01

[12]

10.5534/wjmh.220069

[13]

Sarkar O "Impact of inflammation on male fertility" Front Biosci (Elite Ed) (2011)

[14]

10.1098/rstb.2009.0206

[15]

10.1016/b978-0-12-804239-7.00064-0

[16]

10.1007/978-3-540-48461-5_4

[17]

Petersen C "The Sertoli cell – a hormonal target and ‘super’ nurse for germ cells that determines testicular size" Horm Res (2006)

[18]

10.1530/ror.0.0020038

[19]

10.1590/s1677-5538.ibju.2014.0593

[20]

10.1016/j.cellimm.2018.03.009

[21]

10.1007/978-3-031-12966-7_15

[22]

10.1016/j.aju.2017.11.001

[23]

Effect of Oxidative Stress on Male Reproduction

Ashok Agarwal, Gurpriya Virk, Chloe Ong et al.

The World Journal of Men's Health 10.5534/wjmh.2014.32.1.1

[24]

10.5534/wjmh.190055

[25]

Ritchie C "Oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of male infertility" Andrologia (2021)

[26]

10.1016/j.reprotox.2006.03.003

[27]

10.1038/nrurol.2010.6

[28]

10.3389/fendo.2017.00307

[29]

10.1111/j.1439-0272.2007.00819.x

[30]

10.1002/jemt.20704

[31]

10.1016/j.semcancer.2004.06.006

[32]

10.1016/s0889-1591(03)00052-7

[33]

10.1042/bst20200836

[34]

10.3390/toxins12040227

[35]

Adipose tissue inflammation and metabolic dysfunction in obesity

Tatsuo Kawai, Michael V. Autieri, Rosario Scalia

American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology 10.1152/ajpcell.00379.2020

[36]

10.1007/s11255-016-1488-4

[37]

10.1146/annurev.bioeng.8.061505.095708

[38]

10.1016/j.canlet.2013.07.011

[39]

IL-6 in inflammation, autoimmunity and cancer

Toshio Hirano

International Immunology 10.1093/intimm/dxaa078

[40]

10.1016/j.it.2022.07.004

[41]

Kumar V (2021)

[42]

10.18632/oncotarget.23208

[43]

The crucial roles of inflammatory mediators in inflammation: A review

L. A. Abdulkhaleq, M. A. Assi, Rasedee Abdullah et al.

Veterinary World 10.14202/vetworld.2018.627-635

[44]

10.1007/978-1-4939-8549-4_5

[45]

10.1016/j.mam.2020.100894

[46]

10.3389/fimmu.2012.00323

[47]

10.1517/14712598.2011.592826

[48]

10.1007/978-1-0716-2914-7_4

[49]

10.1016/b978-0-12-386456-7.01808-6

[50]

10.15420/ecr.2018.33.1

Showing 50 of 345 references

Metrics

25

Citations

345

References

Details

Published: Dec 19, 2024
Vol/Issue: 292(13)
Pages: 3321-3349
License: View

Authors

O

Oleksandra Fomichova

UMIB – Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine, ICBAS – School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences University of Porto Portugal

P

Pedro F. Oliveira

LAQV‐REQUIMTE and Department of Chemistry University of Aveiro Portugal

R

Raquel L. Bernardino

UMIB – Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine, ICBAS – School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences University of Porto Portugal; Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR) University of Porto Portugal

Funding

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Award: LA/P/0064/2020

Cite This Article

Oleksandra Fomichova, Pedro F. Oliveira, Raquel L. Bernardino (2024). Exploring the interplay between inflammation and male fertility. The FEBS Journal, 292(13), 3321-3349. https://doi.org/10.1111/febs.17366

Exploring the interplay between inflammation and male fertility

You May Also Like