PATHOGENETIC MECHANISMS OF MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM DAMAGE IN ULCERATIVE COLITIS AND MODERN APPROACHES TO THEIR CORRECTION: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

This review of the literature analyzed the main pathogenetic mechanisms of pathological changes occurring in the male reproductive system under conditions of ulcerative colitis, as well as modern experimental approaches aimed at their correction. Modern studies show that the effect of ulcerative colitis on the reproductive system is not limited only to local intestinal damage, but is also mediated through systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, impaired immune response, dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota, and endocrine changes. In experimental models, colitis induced using dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) was accompanied by damage to testicular tissue, impaired spermatogenesis, a decrease in sperm count and quality, DNA damage, and a decrease in epididymal sperm count. Recent data indicate that dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota can cause inflammatory processes in the testis and epididymis through activation of Th17 cells and production of IL-17A. In correction studies, the potential of agents with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, such as 6-gingerol, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, naringin, and ozone, to reduce certain pathological changes in the reproductive system was investigated. However, most of these approaches are at the experimental stage, and their effectiveness in correcting damage to the male reproductive system in humans has not been sufficiently determined.