Progress on effects of gut microbiota on semen quality and reproduction performance of animals

SHENG Yuke; XU Yifei; GAO Liutao; WANG Congyong; LIU Shenhe

doi:10.13300/j.cnki.hnlkxb.2025.04.021

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Progress on effects of gut microbiota on semen quality and reproduction performance of animals

Animal science·Veterinary medicine | 更新时间：2026-11-05

- Progress on effects of gut microbiota on semen quality and reproduction performance of animals
- Journal of Huazhong Agricultural University Vol. 44, Issue 4, Pages: 220-228(2025)
- 作者机构：
  
  1.河南农业大学动物科技学院，郑州 450046
  2.河南省鼎元种牛育种有限公司，郑州 450046
- 作者简介：
- 基金信息：
- DOI：10.13300/j.cnki.hnlkxb.2025.04.021
  CLC： S814.1;S852.2
- Received：22 July 2024，
  
  Published：05 July 2025
- 稿件说明：
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盛玉珂，徐逸飞，高留涛，等.肠道微生物调控动物精液品质及生殖性能的研究进展［J］.华中农业大学学报，2025，44（4）：220‐228.

SHENG Yuke,XU Yifei,GAO Liutao,et al.Progress on effects of gut microbiota on semen quality and reproduction performance of animals[J].Journal of Huazhong Agricultural University,2025,44(04):220-228.
盛玉珂，徐逸飞，高留涛，等.肠道微生物调控动物精液品质及生殖性能的研究进展［J］.华中农业大学学报，2025，44（4）：220‐228. DOI： 10.13300/j.cnki.hnlkxb.2025.04.021.

SHENG Yuke,XU Yifei,GAO Liutao,et al.Progress on effects of gut microbiota on semen quality and reproduction performance of animals[J].Journal of Huazhong Agricultural University,2025,44(04):220-228. DOI： 10.13300/j.cnki.hnlkxb.2025.04.021.

摘要

肠道微生物与雄性宿主之间存在复杂的动态平衡，与宿主局部肠道的相互作用会影响睾丸、肾脏、副性腺等远端器官的生理功能，从而调控宿主的精液品质。本文以“肠道‒睾丸轴”为理论框架，综述肠道微生物对雄性动物精液品质和生殖性能的影响机制。通过调节代谢产物（短链脂肪酸、氨基酸及维生素）以及雄激素代谢，影响精液品质，或者释放信号分子（5-羟色胺、γ-氨基丁酸、一氧化氮和硫化氢）调节雄性生殖功能。未来研究应着重解析肠道微生物如何维持肠道稳态来调控动物精液品质，并开发具有调控雄性生殖功能的复合微生态制剂，以推动畜牧业高效育种的发展。

Abstract

In animal husbandry production， the reproductive performance of animals directly affects economic benefits. Improving the semen quality and reproductive performance of breeding livestock is of great significance for accelerating breed improvement and enhancing breeding benefits.There is a complex dynamic balance between gut microbiota and male hosts. Gut microbiota can interact with the local intestinal tract of the host to affect the physiological functions of distal organs including testes， kidneys， and accessory sex glands， thereby regulating the semen quality of the host. This article reviewed the mechanism by which gut microbiota affects the semen quality and reproduction performance of male animals， using the ‘gut-testis axis’ as the theoretical framework. The semen quality is affected by regulating metabolic substrates including short-chain fatty acids， amino acids， and vitamins and androgen metabolism. The reproduction performance of males is regulated by releasing signal molecules including 5-hydroxytryptamine， gamma-aminobutyric acid， nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide. The studies in the future should focus on analyzing how gut microbiota maintains intestinal homeostasis to regulate the semen quality of animal， and developing composite microbial preparations for regulating reproductive function of male animals to promote the development of efficient breeding in animal husbandry. It will provide a new perspective for understanding the complex relationship between gut microbiota and reproductive health of male animals， and offer a theoretical basis for improving the semen quality of male animals by regulating the colony ecology of gut microbiota.

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references

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