Effect of long-term storage in Safe Cell+ extender on boar sperm DNA integrity and other key sperm parameters

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may lead to the infertility of men. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 infection on sperm parameters and reproductive hormones in fertile men. Methods: A total of 100 males were selected and divided into two groups: (1) patients in convalescence (patients suffering from COVID-19 infection in pharyngeal swab in accordance with reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR] or antibodies); (2) negative control group (without antibodies). Semen and blood samples were gathered from all subjects. In the native semen, immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG antibodies in the blood were confirmed, and COVID-19 was detected via RT-PCR. To this end, based on the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, semen analysis, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and sperm DNA integrity were assessed. Results: Results demonstrated that sperm concentration, motility, sperm viability, and TAC significantly reduced in fertile males with virus infection. In comparison with the control group, sperm DNA integrity was significantly increased (P < 0.05). Data indicated that the semen volume was not significantly correlated with COVID-19, and there was a significantly negative correlation between sperm concentration, sperm total motility, sperm vitality, sperm normal forms, and TAC with COVID-19. Sperm DNA fragmentation index had a significant and positive correlation with COVID-19 (P < 0.05). In addition, reproductive hormones significantly reduced in fertile males with COVID-19 infection (P < 0.05). Conclusions: COVID-19 infection has a negative influence on sperm parameters and reproductive hormones in fertile males.

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Comparison of three sperm selection methods for ICSI-DGC, Cumulus column, and incubation with supernatant product of adipose tissue-derived adult stem cells: An experimental study

International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine ◽

10.18502/ijrm.v19i1.8184 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Zeynab Yazdanpanah ◽

Mitra Heydari Nasrabadi ◽

Zeynab Piravar

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Experimental Study ◽

Adipose Tissue ◽

Dna Fragmentation ◽

Adult Stem Cells ◽

Sperm Parameters ◽

Dna Integrity ◽

Sperm Dna Integrity ◽

Sperm Dna ◽

Sperm Separation

Background: The examination of sperm parameters and sperm DNA integrity are necessary for male fertility expression. These parameters can be affected by the method of sperm separation. Objective: To measure the damage of each sperm separation method on the sperm parameters and sperm DNA integrity. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, semen samples of 20 infertile men with asthenoteratozoospermia (Infertility Research Center, Qom, Iran, 2017) were processed in three ways: density gradient centrifugation (DGC), cumulus column, and incubation with supernatant products of adipose tissue-derived adult stem cells (SPAS). The results of sperm parameters and DNA fragmentation before and after the process were statistically analyzed. Results: The number of separated sperms by normal morphologies during the SPAS and the cumulus column was significantly more than the corresponding population in the DGC group. In addition, although all three methods have the same ability to increase total sperm motility and the number of recovered sperms, in the field of forwarding movement and DNA fragmentation, the SPAS method performed more efficiently (p = 0.021). Conclusion: Sperm parameters and DNA fragmentation in the SPAS group were better than those in the DGC and cumulus column groups. Furthermore, it has been shown that the sperm capacity was increased with the SPAS method. However, the rearrangement of sperm chromatin by reducing the disulfide bridges and providing the possibility of re-histone over capacity causes a significant reduction in DNA fragmentation. Key words: Sperm, DNA fragmentation, Cumulus oophorus column, SPAS.

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DNA methylation patterns vary in boar sperm cells with different levels of DNA fragmentation

BMC Genomics ◽

10.1186/s12864-019-6307-8 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Abdolrahman Khezri ◽

Birgitte Narud ◽

Else-Berit Stenseth ◽

Anders Johannisson ◽

Frøydis Deinboll Myromslien ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Methylation ◽

Dna Fragmentation ◽

Dna Integrity ◽

Sperm Cells ◽

Sperm Dna Integrity ◽

Disulphide Bonds ◽

Sperm Dna ◽

Boar Sperm ◽

Different Levels ◽

Protamine Deficiency

Abstract Background Sperm DNA integrity is considered essential for successful transmission of the paternal genome, fertilization and normal embryo development. DNA fragmentation index (DFI, %) has become a key parameter in the swine artificial insemination industry to assess sperm DNA integrity. Recently, in some elite Norwegian Landrace boars (boars with excellent field fertility records), a higher level of sperm DFI has been observed. In order to obtain a better understanding of this, and to study the complexity of sperm DNA integrity, liquid preserved semen samples from elite boars with contrasting DFI levels were examined for protamine deficiency, thiol profile and disulphide bonds. Additionally, the DNA methylation profiles of the samples were determined by reduced representation bisulphite sequencing (RRBS). Results In this study, different traits related to sperm DNA integrity were investigated (n = 18 ejaculates). Upon liquid storage, the levels of total thiols and disulphide bonds decreased significantly, while the DFI and protamine deficiency level increased significantly. The RRBS results revealed similar global patterns of low methylation from semen samples with different levels of DFI (low, medium and high). Differential methylation analyses indicated that the number of differentially methylated cytosines (DMCs) increased in the low-high compared to the low-medium and the medium-high DFI groups. Annotating the DMCs with gene and CpG features revealed clear differences between DFI groups. In addition, the number of annotated transcription starting sites (TSS) and associated pathways in the low-high comparison was greater than the other two groups. Pathway analysis showed that genes (based on the closest TSS to DMCs) corresponding to low-high DFI comparison were associated with important processes such as membrane function, metabolic cascade and antioxidant defence system. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating DNA methylation in boar sperm cells with different levels of DFI. The present study shows that sperm cells with varying levels of DNA fragmentation exhibit similar global methylation, but different site-specific DNA methylation signatures. Moreover, with increasing DNA fragmentation in spermatozoa, there is an increase in the number of potentially affected downstream genes and their respective regulatory pathways.

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141 Antioxidant Supplementation Alleviates DNA Damage in Boar Sperm Induced by Tropical Heat Stress

Reproduction Fertility and Development ◽

10.1071/rdv30n1ab141 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

pp. 210 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

S. T. Peña ◽

B. Gummow ◽

A. J. Parker ◽

D. B. B. P. Paris

Keyword(s):

Dna Damage ◽

Heat Stress ◽

Dna Integrity ◽

Antioxidant Supplementation ◽

Sperm Dna Damage ◽

Progressive Motility ◽

Sperm Dna Integrity ◽

Sperm Dna ◽

Boar Sperm ◽

The Tropics

Seasonal heat stress is known to significantly diminish reproductive performance in pigs, particularly in the tropics, costing the industry millions in annual losses. The boar’s reduced capacity to sweat and non-pendulous scrotum, combined with the widespread use of European breeds in the tropics, makes this species particularly vulnerable to heat stress. Although heat stress is traditionally considered a sow problem, recent mouse studies demonstrate that heat stress-induced sperm DNA damage can result in arrested development and loss of early embryos. Our study investigated the impact of tropical summer heat stress on the quality and DNA integrity of boar sperm, and trialled antioxidant supplementation to alleviate the problem. Data, expressed as mean ± SEM, were analysed by one-way repeated-measures ANOVA with pairwise Bonferroni tests. Motility of sperm obtained from Large White boars (n = 5) housed in the dry tropics of Townsville, North Queensland, Australia, was characterised by computer-assisted sperm analysis but did not differ between summer, winter, or spring (total motility: 71.3 ± 8.1 v. 90.2 ± 4.2 v. 70.8 ± 5.5%, respectively; P > 0.05; progressive motility: 35.4 ± 7.0 v. 46.6 ± 4.0 v. 41.7 ± 2.8%, respectively; P > 0.05). Sperm DNA integrity in 20,000 sperm/boar per season, evaluated using TUNEL and flow cytometry, revealed 16-fold more DNA-damaged sperm in summer than winter, and nearly 9-fold more than spring (16.1 ± 4.8 v. 1.0 ± 0.2 v. 1.9 ± 0.5%, respectively; P ≤ 0.05). However, boar feed supplemented with 100 g/boar per day of proprietary custom-made antioxidants during summer significantly reduced sperm DNA damage to 9.9 ± 4.5% and 7.2 ± 1.6% (P ≤ 0.05) after 42 and 84 days of treatment respectively. Total and progressive motility were not altered by the supplement. In summary, sperm DNA integrity is compromised in boars during summer, suggesting that boar factors may contribute to seasonal embryo loss in sows. Moreover, such damage appears undetectable using traditional measures of sperm motility. Antioxidant supplementation during summer appears to mitigate the negative impact of heat stress on sperm DNA integrity.

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