REVIEW article
Front. Immunol.
Sec. Molecular Innate Immunity
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1598451
From Stress Signals to Fertility Challenges: The Role of Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns in Male Reproduction
Provisionally accepted
- 1The NHC Key Laboratory of Male Reproduction and Genetics, Family Planning Research Institute of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510600, China, Guangzhou, China
- 2Department of Central Laboratory, Guangdong Provincial Reproductive Science Institute (Guangdong Provincial Fertility Hospital), Guangzhou, China, Guangzhou, China
- 3Northwest A&F University, Xianyang, Shaanxi Province, China
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Male infertility is influenced by genetic abnormalities, hormonal imbalances, lifestyle factors, and environmental exposures. Recently, Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs) have emerged as key players in male reproductive health, particularly in regulating inflammatory responses and tissue damage. This review highlights the role of critical DAMPs, such as HMGB1, HSPs, ATP, eCIRP, histones, and cfDNA, in processes like spermatogenesis, sperm maturation, and fertilization. Released through mechanisms like necrosis, apoptosis, pyroptosis, and exosomes, DAMPs significantly influence immune regulation, thereby affecting male fertility. Understanding these roles offers new therapeutic avenues targeting DAMPs to improve male reproductive health and treat infertility.
Keywords: male infertility, DAMPs, Spermatogenesis, Sperm Maturation, Fertilization, Inflammatory Response
Received: 24 Mar 2025; Accepted: 11 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Cao, Liu, Cui, Nie, Liu and Qin. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Weibing Qin, The NHC Key Laboratory of Male Reproduction and Genetics, Family Planning Research Institute of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510600, China, Guangzhou, China
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