Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Male Reproductive Health
Summary
Oxidative stress and inflammation are interlinked processes that exert profound effects on male reproductive function. Under physiological conditions, low levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a signalling role in sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction, whereas excessive ROS generation overwhelms endogenous antioxidant defences, leading to lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation and DNA fragmentation in spermatozoa. Concurrently, proinflammatory cytokines and activated leukocytes within the male genital tract amplify oxidative damage and disrupt the integrity of the blood–testis barrier. Such combined insults impair spermatogenesis, reduce sperm motility and morphology, and alter testosterone biosynthesis via deranged Leydig cell function. Environmental factors (for example, pollution, tobacco smoke, obesity) and infections further perpetuate this vicious cycle. Understanding the molecular pathways that link ROS overproduction to inflammatory cascades has uncovered targets for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory interventions, offering the potential to restore reproductive health in affected men.
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Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Male Reproductive Health publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in oxidative stress and inflammation in male reproductive health across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Chemically reactive molecules containing oxygen, including superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, generated as by-products of cellular metabolism and capable of causing oxidative damage.
Oxidative stress: A pathological state arising when ROS production exceeds the capacity of antioxidant defences, resulting in cellular injury.
Inflammation: A coordinated immune response involving cytokine release, leukocyte infiltration and vascular changes that, when chronic in the testes, impairs spermatogenesis.
Antioxidant: Endogenous or exogenous molecule that neutralises ROS, thereby protecting cells from oxidative damage.
References
- Oxidative Stress, Testicular Inflammatory Pathways, and Male Reproduction. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2021).
- Male Infertility and Oxidative Stress: A Focus on the Underlying Mechanisms. Antioxidants (2022).
- The Importance of Oxidative Stress in Determining the Functionality of Mammalian Spermatozoa: A Two-Edged Sword. Antioxidants (2020).
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