Changes in sperm quality and lipid composition during cryopreservation of boar semen

Aim. To estimate the impact of low temperatures on the lipid composition of reproductive cells of male sterlets (Acipenser ruthenus L) in cryopreservation environment. Methods. The determination of sperm quality (color, consistence, concentration and motility of spermatozoa) was estimated by common biochemical methods using standard equipment. Thin-layer chromatography was used to reveal fi ve fractions of neutral lipids in the sperm of investigated fi sh, which were distributed on the plates as follows: the starting line demonstrated phospholipids, cholesterol, free fatty acids, triacylglycerol and ethers of cholesterol. The adaptive property of sperm was estimated by the level of spermatozoa survival prior to and after cryopreservation. Results. The obtained results of sterlet sperm activity prior to and after cryopreservation demonstrate high quality of native sperm and its considerable deterioration after freezing/thawing. Conclusions. The impact of low temperatures on the lipid composition of reproductive cells of male sterlets (Acipenser ruthenus L) in cryopreservation environment leads to impairments of the phospholipid bilayer of their membranes. It was established that during the thawing of frozen sperm cells which preserved their viability after cryopreservation their motility and capability of fertilizing an ovum were somewhat restored with slowing down of sperm cell motility.

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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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504 The presence of bacterial species in boar semen and their impact on the sperm quality and oxidative balance.

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/sky404.1094 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 96 (suppl_3) ◽

pp. 501-501 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

M Ďuračka ◽

E Tvrda

Keyword(s):

Sperm Quality ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

Oxidative Balance ◽

Boar Semen

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FTIR Spectroscopy to Reveal Lipid and Protein Changes Induced on Sperm by Capacitation: Bases for an Improvement of Sample Selection in ART

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms21228659 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (22) ◽

pp. 8659

Author(s):

Maria Pachetti ◽

Luisa Zupin ◽

Irene Venturin ◽

Elisa Mitri ◽

Rita Boscolo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lipid Composition ◽

Semen Quality ◽

Sperm Quality ◽

Sample Selection ◽

Poor Quality ◽

Interesting Possibility ◽

The Many ◽

Α Helix ◽

Analytical Approaches

Although being a crucial step for Assisted Reproduction Technologies (ART) success, to date sperm selection is based only on morphology, motility and concentration characteristics. Considering the many possible alterations, there is a great need for analytical approaches allowing more effective sperm selections. The use of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) may represent an interesting possibility, being able to reveal many macromolecular changes in a single measurement in a nondestructive way. As a proof of concept, in this observational study, we used a FTIR approach to reveal features related to sperm quality and chemical changes promoted by in vitro capacitation. We found indication that α-helix content is increased in capacitated sperm, while high percentages of the β-structures seem to correlate to poor-quality spermatozoa. The most interesting observation was related to the lipid composition, when measured as CH2/CH3 vibrations (ratio 2853/2870), which resulted in being strongly influenced by capacitation and well correlated with sperm motility. Interestingly, this ratio is higher than 1 in infertile samples, suggesting that motility is related to sperm membranes stiffness and lipid composition. Although further analyses are requested, our results support the concept that FTIR can be proposed as a new smart diagnostic tool for semen quality assessment in ART.

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The use of butylated hydroxytoluene in cryopreservation of boar semen

Roczniki Naukowe Polskiego Towarzystwa Zootechnicznego ◽

10.5604/01.3001.0013.6966 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 21-28

Author(s):

Monika Trzcińska ◽

Magdalena Baryła

Keyword(s):

Dna Fragmentation ◽

Sperm Quality ◽

Annexin V ◽

Egg Yolk ◽

Butylated Hydroxytoluene ◽

Preimplantation Embryos ◽

Progressive Motility ◽

Boar Semen ◽

Boar Spermatozoa

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) on the quality and fertilizing capacity of frozen-thawed (FT) boar semen. Semen from five boars (36 ejaculates) was resuspended in lactose-egg yolk-glycerol extender supplemented with 0 (control), 1.0 (R1), 1.5 (R2) or 2.0 mM BHT (R3). Sperm quality was assessed based on motility (CASA; TM: total motility; PM: progressive motility), phosphatidylserine (PS) translocation across the plasma membrane (Annexin-V-FLuos Staining Kit) and DNA fragmentation (TUNEL Assay). The FT semen was also used for intrauterine artificial insemination (AI) of synchronized gilts. The fertilizing capacity of the FT semen was assessed on the basis of the gilt insemination rate and the number of morphologically normal embryos. The quality of the preimplantation embryos was determined by observing a TUNEL-positive reaction. The highest percentage of progressive motile and viable spermatozoa was noted in extender R3 (74.8 ±4.4% and 63.7 ±5.8%), as compared with the control (38.3 ±2.8% and 36.1 ±2.6%). The addition of BHT to the extender did not increase early apoptotic changes in the frozen-thawed spermatozoa with respect to the control. Irrespective of the variant of the extender, cryopreservation and thawing did not induce fragmentation in the boar spermatozoa. The highest number of morphologically normal embryos from inseminated gilts was observed in the case of semen cryopreserved in extender supplemented with 1.5 mM BHT. No significant differences were observed in DNA fragmentation in the expanded blastocysts from gilts inseminated with FT semen cryopreserved in the extenders analysed.

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