Absence of seminal plasma from sperm-rich fraction decreases boar sperm quality characteristics during the course of liquid storage

ABSTRACT Background Wide variation in fertility rates is observed when using frozen bull semen, even when the bulls have met quality standards for semen production. Therefore, a simple and reliable test to assess the freezing potential of bull semen based on the analysis of fresh semen or blood would be of great value. Attention is now turning to assessment of seminal plasma components such as proteins and elements. In the present study, the concentrations of macro- and microelements in fresh bull semen plasma and in serum and their correlation with quality characteristics of fresh semen and with semen quality after freezing and thawing were determined. Ejaculates were collected from 30 mature bulls, and semen volume, concentration, sperm motility, morphology, tail membrane integrity, plasma membrane permeability and DNA fragmentation were determined on the day of collection and after freezing and thawing. The concentrations of macroelements (Na, Mg, K and Ca) and microelements (Cu, Fe, Zn and Se) were determined in the seminal plasma and serum. The semen samples were classified into satisfactory and unsatisfactory groups according to the fresh semen quality. Results Zinc and Se levels measured in serum were associated with almost all fresh and frozen-thawed semen quality characteristics, while Fe levels were associated only with acrosomal defects in fresh semen. Zinc and Fe levels in fresh seminal plasma were associated with various quality characteristics of fresh and frozen-thawed semen, while Se level in fresh seminal plasma was not associated with any of the semen quality characteristics. Conclusions Microelements were shown to be useful as biomarkers involved in the analysis of bull sperm quality and could be used as an additional tool to predict bull semen quality after freezing and thawing. Our results confirm that the analysis of Zn and Se levels in serum and Zn, Cu and Fe levels in fresh seminal plasma can provide information to discriminate between bull semen samples with spermatozoa with high or low cryotolerance.

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Effects of iodine methionine on boar sperm quality during liquid storage at 17°C

Reproduction in Domestic Animals ◽

10.1111/rda.13024 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 52 (6) ◽

pp. 1061-1066 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Q Fang ◽

J Wang ◽

YY Hao ◽

H Li ◽

JX Hu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sperm Quality ◽

Liquid Storage ◽

Boar Sperm

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Implication of Polyhistidine, a Novel Apoptosis Inhibitor, in Inhibiting Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Apoptosis in Boar Sperm

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani9100719 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (10) ◽

pp. 719 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tianzeng Song ◽

Yi Shi ◽

Yangang Wang ◽

Izhar Hyder Qazi ◽

Christiana Angel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sperm Quality ◽

Storage Conditions ◽

Potential Implication ◽

Liquid Storage ◽

Boar Sperm ◽

Tlr4 Agonist ◽

Reasonable Evidence ◽

Boar Semen ◽

Induced Apoptosis ◽

Apoptosis Inhibitor

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) released from Gram-negative bacteria binds to toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and induces boar sperm apoptosis. Similarly, polyhistidine (pHis), a TLR4 agonist, can also bind to TLR4. We hypothesized that pHis could inhibit LPS-induced sperm apoptosis by competitively binding to TLR4 to then improve sperm quality. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine whether pHis can inhibit LPS-induced sperm apoptosis and affect sperm quality. The results showed that the concentrations of bacterial colonies were significantly increased from 36 to 120 h under liquid storage conditions (p < 0.05); however, concentrations of LPS in boar semen showed a relatively constant trend (4.98 ± 1.55 EU/mL) following 120 h storage. The addition of 100 μg/mL pHis in the BTS extender significantly improved boar sperm motility and viability at 37 °C, and it significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited boar sperm apoptosis under liquid storage (17 °C) and at 37 °C incubation conditions. The co-treatment of LPS and pHis further confirmed that pHis played its role in inhibiting LPS-induced sperm apoptosis. In conclusion, our preliminary findings provide reasonable evidence that pHis could act as an inhibitor of LPS-induced apoptosis in boar sperm stored for longer periods of time. pHis might inhibit LPS-induced sperm apoptosis by competitively binding to TLR4. Nevertheless, further mechanistic studies are awaited to fully elucidate its potential implication in inhibiting LSP-induced apoptosis.

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