ArticleBMC microbiology2024
Characteristics of gut microbiota in patients with asthenozoospermia: a Chinese pilot study.
Article in BMC microbiology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.
- A narrative review of the gut microbiota-testis axis: mechanisms and implications for male reproductive health.Translational andrology and urology · 2026Review
- Gut microbiota and their role in male reproductive health.NPJ science of food · 2026Review
- Qiangjing Tablets modulate oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress through the PI3K/Akt/NRF-2 signaling axis and regulate gut microbiota in ornidazole-induced asthenozoospermia rats.Journal of traditional and complementary medicine · 2026Article
- Gamma-aminobutyric acid modulates buck semen quality and sperm preservation duration in vivo and in vitro.Journal of animal science · 2026Article
- Changes in L-Carnitine Metabolism Affect the Gut Microbiome and Influence Sexual Behavior Through the Gut-Testis Axis.Microorganisms · 2025Article
- Article
- Acupuncture mediates the "gut-testis axis" to improve asthenozoospermia.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIdentification of intestinal flora composition is significant for exploring the cause and pathogenic mechanisms of the gut-testis axis and clarifying the relationship between microbiota and infertility. Our study aimed to examine the alternation in gut microbiota composition and identify potential microbes associated with development of Asthenozoospermia (AS).
methodA total of 580 males were recruited in the outpatient department of Tianjin Medical University General Hospital between September 2021 and March 2023. Sperm parameters were analyzed according to the WHO laboratory manual. The 16 S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing was performed to detect the gut microbiota composition in fecal samples. LEfSe analysis was used to screen key microbiota. PICRUSt2 software was utilized to predict relevant pathways.
resultsAfter rigorous screening, 60 isolated AS patients (AS group) and 48 healthy men (NC group) were enrolled. No significant differences were observed in demographic characteristics (p > 0.05), semen volume (p = 0.718), sperm concentration (p = 0.109), or total sperm count (p = 0.200). Sperm total motility and progressive motility were significantly decreased in the AS group (p < 0.001). AS patients had significantly lower alpha diversity indices (Chao1, observed OTUs, and PD Whole-tree; p < 0.05). The beta-diversity of gut microbiota in AS patients significantly differed from NC men (PCoA analysis, p = 0.001). Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria were the primary phyla, with the dominant genera including Bacteroides, Prevotella, and Blautia. Eleven key genera such as Escherichia_Shigella and Prevotellaceae_UCG_001 were identified by LEfSe analysis. Most of these genera were negatively correlated with sperm mobility. Eighty-eight KEGG pathways, including steroid biosynthesis and meiosis, were significantly enriched between the two groups.
conclusionsIt appears that gut microbiota composition in AS patients significantly differed from that in healthy men, and the development of AS might be associated with intestinal flora dysbiosis.
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