Difficulties associated with the cryopreservation of boar sperm include their sensitivities to osmotic stresses and chilling sensitivity. We investigated the effects of cholesterol-loaded cyclodextrin (CLC) on boar sperm motility and membrane integrity following exposure to various osmolalities. Samples were collected using the gloved hand method from crossbred boars, and ejaculates having greater than 75% motility were extended 1:3 with Androhep (Minitube Inc., Verona, WI) for this study. Samples were centrifuged at 700g for 5 min, and the resulting pellets were resuspended to 1.2 × 108 cells mL–1 in Androhep. Samples were then treated with 0, 1.5, or 3.0 mg of CLC/1.2 × 108 cells mL–1 for 10 min at room temperature. In experiment 1, samples were aliquoted into 1.5-mL centrifuge tubes, centrifuged at 700g for 5 min and the sperm exposed to Dulbecco’s PBS at different osmolalities for 5 min before being returned to 300 mOsm by adding Dulbecco’s PBS solutions at differing osmolalities. After returning the sperm to isosmotic conditions, sperm motility was analyzed. In experiment 2, samples were treated as in experiment 1 and following exposure to the various osmolalities, sperm were stained with Alexa 488-PNA and propidium iodide to determine sperm membrane integrity. Ten thousand sperm per treatment were analyzed by flow cytometry. Data were analyzed by standard ANOVA. The CLC-treated sperm (normalized means ± SEM; 33 ± 16, 80 ± 8, 86 ± 5, 100, 64 ± 4, 7 ± 3, 0 ± 0, respectively) exhibited greater percentages of motile cells following hypo-isosmotic exposure than control sperm (4 ± 1.6, 33 ± 9.6, 84 ± 7.1, 100, 37 ± 5.5, 3 ± 1.6, 0 ± 0, respectively), and there was a tendency for CLC-treated sperm (P = 0.0225) to maintain motility following hyper-isosmotic exposure. In addition, CLC-treated sperm (87 ± 4, 93 ± 1, 95 ± 1, 93 ± 2, 88 ± 4, 83 ± 3, 41 ± 9, respectively; P < 0.05) maintained greater percentages of membrane integrity following treatment with anisosmotic solutions compared with controls (29 ± 8, 63 ± 10, 81 ± 7, 92 ± 3, 73 ± 8, 44 ± 5, 21 ± 9, respectively). Using a combination of these osmotic tolerance data with previously published boar sperm membrane permeability characteristics, we mathematically modeled the number of steps needed for the addition or removal of cryoprotectants. Computer simulations indicate that an abrupt addition of 1 m glycerol will cause boar sperm to exceed their osmotic tolerance limits unless they are treated with 3 mg of CLC. Moreover, the addition of 1 m EG causes boar sperm to exceed all osmotic tolerance limits and therefore, the addition and removal of EG requires multiple-step protocols. However, the addition and removal of 1 m DMSO maintains volume excursions well within the osmotic tolerance limits with the addition of cholesterol (1.5 and 3 mg). Empirical data for addition of CPA have shown similar results as seen with the computer simulation. These data support the hypothesis that adding cholesterol to porcine sperm broadens their osmotic tolerance limits and potentially provide a mechanism to increase post-thaw survival of porcine sperm.
Seminal plasma arising from the whole boar sperm-rich fraction increases the stability of sperm membrane after thawing1,2
