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Plasma concentration of MMP-17 is elevated in boys with cryptorchidism and correlates with HSP-70Ma?gorzata Kowalska 1,4? , Marzena Tylicka 2,4 , Olga Martyna Koper-Lenkiewicz 3 , Joanna Kamińska 3 , Justyna Dorf 3 & Ewa Matuszczak 1Cryptorchidism, the absence of one or both testicles in the scrotum, is the most common anomaly of genitourinary tract in males. The pathogenesis of undescended testes is unknown however the role of inf l ammation, tissue remodeling and oxidative stress is postulated. The aim of this study was to explore the role of HSP-70, MMP-3, MMP-17 and IL-8 in possible pathogenic pathways connected with cryptorchidism. Cryptorchid patients with high scrotal and inguinal canal localization were included. The study group consisted of 63 patients aged 12–24 months, whereas the control group included 17 healthy infants with the same demographic characteristics. The analysis of plasma samples was carried out using ELISA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. The plasma concentration of MMP-17 in boys with cryptorchidism was signif i cantly higher compared to the control group (p = 0.0365). The concentration of plasma IL-8, MMP-3, and HSP-70 in boys with cryptorchidism increased in comparison to the control group but these increases were not statistically signif i cant (p > 0.05). A positive correlation was found between plasma MMP-17 and HSP-70 concentration (r = 0.5153; p < 0.0001). Our results demonstrate that MMP-17 and HSP-70 might be involved in pathogenesis of cryptorchidism and are in line with current knowledge that high temperature has a negative inf l uence on male gonads.Keywords Cryptorchidism, Heat-shock protein, MetalloproteinasesCryptorchidism is the absence of one or both testicles in the scrotum. It is the most common anomaly of genitourinary tract in males, af f ecting1.0–4.6% of full-term and 1.1–45% of preterm neonates 1–4 . Elevated temperature in inguinal canal or abdominal cavity triggers death of the gonocytes and spermatogonia, which may lead to infertility in adult life. Higher risk of infertility is reported in cases with bilateral cryptorchidism. It is observed that independently from the fact whether it is congenital or acquired cryptorchidism, the risk of testicular cancer increases 5,6 .During the fi rst months of life in most boys’ gonads descend spontaneously. Still 1.0% of full-term male infants have undescended testes at 6 months of age. Th e cause of cryptorchidism is multifactorial with hormonal, genetic and environmental factors playing a role 7 . Studies in experimental animals have shown that oxidative stress and inf l ammation is to blame for damage of spermatogenic cells 8 .Cryptorchidism is a signif i cant clinical problem, but at the molecular level have not been fully examined. During development of the testes there are numerous remodeling processes, which suggests possible involvement of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). MMPs are proteases that degrade components of the extracellular matrix and basement membranes. MMPs also modulate intra- and extracellular pathways by proteolysis of various molecules and are implicated in the regulation of physiological and pathological processes e.g., embryogenesis, apoptosis, cell migration, growth and remodeling of connective tissue and wound healing, inf l ammation, tumor invasion, autoimmune and neurological diseases or atherosclerosis 9,10 .Matrix metalloproteinase-17 (MMP-17, also known as MT4-MMP) is held in the plasma membrane by a glycosyl-phosphatidyl inositol (GPI) anchor, which equips the enzymes with a set of regulatory and functional 1 Department of Pediatric Surgery and Urology, Medical University of Bialystok, Waszyngtona 17, 15-274 Bialystok, Poland. 2 Department of Biophysics, Medical University of Bialystok, Mickiewicza 2a, 15-089 Bialystok, Poland. 3 Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Bialystok, Waszyngtona 15A, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland. 4 Ma?gorzata Kowalska and Marzena Tylicka contributed equally to this work. ? email: malgorzata.kowalska@umb.edu.plOPENScientif i c Reports | (2025) 15:474 1 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84214-5www.nature.com/scientificreports