1
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Martín A, Castaño C, O'Brien E, Toledano-Díaz A, Guerra R, Gómez-Guillamón F, Santiago-Moreno J. Equilibration time improves the sperm variables of wild ruminant ejaculated and epididymal sperm cryopreserved by ultra-rapid freezing. Cryobiology 2023; 113:104579. [PMID: 37633480 DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2023.104579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
This work examines the effect of equilibration time with extender on ultra-rapidly frozen-thawed wild ruminant epididymal (origin: Iberian ibex) and ejaculated (origin: mouflon) sperm variables. Sperm samples were prepared either without prior equilibration, or equilibrated for 30 min before freezing. Higher quality (p < 0.05) frozen-thawed spermatozoa were obtained when equilibration was allowed, for ejaculated sperm in terms of sperm motility, acrosome apical ridge integrity, sperm viability, and percentage of normal cells, and for epididymal sperm in terms of linearity and straightness of sperm movement. The sperm head area, head perimeter, head length and head width were smaller (p < 0.01) in the equilibrated than non-equilibrated frozen-thawed epididymal sperm; no such dimensional changes were recorded for ejaculated sperm. In conclusion, equilibration prior to ultra-rapid freezing improves the cryoresistance of sperm cells, although viable sperm cells can be obtained without equilibration. The epididymal sperm showed greater cryoresistance, supporting the idea that it is more resistant to freeze-thawing than ejaculated sperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrián Martín
- Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Emma O'Brien
- Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Félix Gómez-Guillamón
- Programa de Vigilancia Epidemiológica de la Fauna Silvestre en Andalucía (PVE), Consejería de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca y Desarrollo Sostenible, Junta de Andalucía, Málaga, Spain
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2
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Martinez-Madrid B, Martínez-Cáceres C, Pequeño B, Castaño C, Toledano-Díaz A, Bóveda P, Prieto P, Alvarez-Rodriguez M, Rodriguez-Martinez H, Santiago-Moreno J. Immunolocalisation of aquaporins 3, 7, 9 and 10 in the epididymis of three wild ruminant species (Iberian ibex, mouflon and chamois) and sperm cryoresistance. Reprod Fertil Dev 2023; 35:708-721. [PMID: 37968880 DOI: 10.1071/rd23091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT In the epididymis, epithelial cells manage changes in the luminal environment for proper sperm maturation. Moreover, aquaglyceroporins, a subgroup of aquaporins (AQP), modulate the transport of water, glycerol and other small molecules in epithelial cells. AIMS We aim to characterise the lining epithelium, quantify its cell composition and immunolocalise the aquaglyceroporins AQP3, AQP7, AQP9 and AQP10 alongside the epididymal ductus of three wild ruminant species, and to determine if species-specific differences could be associated with cauda sperm cryoresistance variations. METHODS Epididymides from Iberian ibex (n =5), mouflon (n =5) and chamois (n =6) were obtained. Cauda spermatozoa were collected and sperm parameters were analysed before and after freezing. Histology and immunohistochemistry of AQP3, 7, 9, 10 and T-CD3 were performed in the caput, corpus and cauda epididymal regions. KEY RESULTS This work first describes the lining epithelium in Iberian ibex, mouflon and chamois epididymis along the three anatomical regions, consisting of principal, basal, apical, clear and halo cells. However, the percentage of each cell type differed in ibex compared to mouflon and chamois. The positive T-CD3 immunolabeling of all the halo cells confirmed their T-lymphocyte nature. Aquaglyceroporin expression patterns were similar among species, except for differences in AQP7 and AQP10 immunolocalisation in ibex. Species-specific differences in epididymal sperm cryoresistance were confirmed. CONCLUSIONS The epididymal epithelium of the three wild ruminants differ in their relative number of cell types and AQP immunolocalisation, which ultimately appears to affect cauda epidydimal spermatozoa cryoresistance. IMPLICATIONS Our study provides information on the relevance of the quantitative composition and AQP pattern expression in epididymal lining epithelium on sperm cryoresistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belen Martinez-Madrid
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Carlos Martínez-Cáceres
- Pathology core, Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia Pascual Parrilla (IMIB), Ctra. Buenavista s/n, El Palmar, Murcia 30120, Spain
| | - Belén Pequeño
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology, Spanish Scientific Research Council (INIA-CSIC), Avda. Puerta de Hierro km 5.9, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Cristina Castaño
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology, Spanish Scientific Research Council (INIA-CSIC), Avda. Puerta de Hierro km 5.9, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Adolfo Toledano-Díaz
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology, Spanish Scientific Research Council (INIA-CSIC), Avda. Puerta de Hierro km 5.9, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Paula Bóveda
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology, Spanish Scientific Research Council (INIA-CSIC), Avda. Puerta de Hierro km 5.9, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Paloma Prieto
- Consejería de Sostenibilidad, Medio Ambiente y Economía Azul, Junta de Andalucía, Jaén, Spain
| | - Manuel Alvarez-Rodriguez
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology, Spanish Scientific Research Council (INIA-CSIC), Avda. Puerta de Hierro km 5.9, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Heriberto Rodriguez-Martinez
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV), Obstetrics and Gynecology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Julián Santiago-Moreno
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology, Spanish Scientific Research Council (INIA-CSIC), Avda. Puerta de Hierro km 5.9, Madrid 28040, Spain
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3
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Fernandez-Fuertes B. Review: The role of male reproductive tract secretions in ruminant fertility. Animal 2023; 17 Suppl 1:100773. [PMID: 37567680 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Male fertility largely depends on the ability to produce sperm that can transmit the paternal information onto the next generation. However, the factors that are critical for sperm function and the subsequent development of healthy offspring are still not completely understood in ruminants. Importantly, sperm function is not completely encoded by germ cell DNA, but rather, depends on sequential acquisition, loss, and modification of elements through interaction with secretions from the testes, epididymides, and accessory glands (collectively termed seminal plasma). In addition, these secretions can play a role in the inheritance of paternal environmental effects by progeny. This is likely achieved directly, by the regulation of sperm epigenetic effectors, and indirectly, by altering the female environment in which the individual develops. This review will provide an overview of the different organs that contribute to seminal plasma in ruminants, and summarise how their secretions shape sperm function and modulate the female reproductive tract. Finally, some consideration will be given to the potential of paternal factors to affect embryo development and offspring health in ruminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Fernandez-Fuertes
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Institute for Agriculture and Food Research and Technology (INIA), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
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4
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Santiago-Moreno J, Toledano-Díaz A, Castaño C, Velázquez R, Bóveda P, O'Brien E, Peris-Frau P, Pequeño B, Martínez-Madrid B, Esteso MC. Review: Sperm cryopreservation in wild small ruminants: morphometric, endocrine and molecular basis of cryoresistance. Animal 2023; 17 Suppl 1:100741. [PMID: 37567668 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproductive technologies can help to protect wild ruminant species from becoming extinct. In addition, the decline in some wild game species has also raised interest in reproductive technologies to increase the number of animals that can be produced. Most biobanking efforts have focused on developing effective protocols for preserving sperm, oocytes, and embryos. Cryopreservation of sperm remains the least invasive method and the cheapest procedure for germplasm storage. Over the last few years, several reproductive biotechnologies have been developed beyond the conventional freezing of spermatozoa. These include ultra-rapid freezing techniques. Nevertheless, fertility results after artificial insemination using frozen-thawed spermatozoa are not always acceptable in wild small ruminants. Moreover, these technological efforts have met variable success related to the sample's origin (epididymal retrieved postmortem or ejaculated) and the season of sperm sample collection and storage. Epididymal sperm shows higher cryoresistance than ejaculated sperm. Changes in sperm proteome between epididymal and ejaculated sperm seem to contribute to this different cryotolerance. The role of endocrine status has been studied in some wild species to better understand the underlying mechanism of the annual variation in ruminant sperm cryoresistance. Seasonal changes in testosterone and prolactin are involved in sperm cryoresistance; sperm recovery and cryopreservation are recommended around the end of the rutting season, when good quality sperm samples can still be obtained, testosterone levels have already decreased, and prolactin concentrations remain low. The mechanisms of hormone action on sperm freezability are not well known. Still, it has been suggested that testosterone affects cell proliferation in the testis, during spermatogenesis, and membrane properties of sperm cells during their transit through the reproductive tract, which might influence their cryotolerance. Recent studies have revealed that the expression of aquaporins in the sperm cells of small wild ruminants could also be involved in the androgen-related seasonal variation of sperm cryoresistance. Along with epididymal and ejaculated spermatozoa, the cryopreservation of testicular tissue may provide a suitable source of male gametes, becoming an alternative for establishing germplasm banks when semen cannot be collected for whatever reason.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - C Castaño
- Dep. Animal Reproduction, INIA-CSIC, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - R Velázquez
- Dep. Animal Reproduction, INIA-CSIC, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - P Bóveda
- Dep. Animal Reproduction, INIA-CSIC, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - E O'Brien
- Dep. Animal Reproduction, INIA-CSIC, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - P Peris-Frau
- Dep. Animal Reproduction, INIA-CSIC, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - B Pequeño
- Dep. Animal Reproduction, INIA-CSIC, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - B Martínez-Madrid
- Dep. Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - M C Esteso
- Dep. Animal Reproduction, INIA-CSIC, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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5
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Lv C, Liang J, Yang H, Ni X, Raza SHA, Shah MA, Wu G, Quan G. The Proteomic Modification of Buck Ejaculated Sperm Induced by the Cryopreservation Process. Biopreserv Biobank 2022. [PMID: 35793518 DOI: 10.1089/bio.2022.0024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Using two-dimensional electrophoresis along with mass spectroscopy, we have investigated how the cryopreservation process affected the protein profile of goat ejaculated sperm. In this study, five bucks were used for semen collection. After removal of seminal plasma, the Tris-based extender containing glycerol and egg yolk was used to freeze semen. The results indicated that the post-thaw sperm quality showed a significant reduction compared with fresh sperm. The numbers of protein spots acquired in fresh and post-thaw sperm were 2926 ± 57 and 3061 ± 81, respectively. Twenty-two different abundant proteins (DAPs) were identified between fresh sperm and frozen-thawed sperm (≥3.0-folds, p < 0.05). The abundances of 19 proteins were significantly higher in the fresh sperm than the post-thaw sperm. The results of the gene ontology annotation showed the primary location of the DAPs on sperm cytoskeleton, protein complex, cytoplasm, and mitochondria. In addition, these proteins were mainly involved in ion binding, small molecular metabolic processes, structure molecule activity, guanosine triphosphatase activity, oxidoreductase activity, and protein complex assembly. The interaction networks among these DAPs demonstrated that they may play roles in oxidoreductase activity, structure, acrosomal function, and motility of sperm. Collectively, the proteome of goat sperm was altered during the cryopreservation process, demonstrating that protein modification induced by cryopreservation may be associated with the reduced quality of goat sperm after thawing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunrong Lv
- Small Ruminant Department, Yunnan Animal Science and Veterinary Institute, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China.,Yunnan Provincial Genebank of Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources, Yunnan Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Animal Genetic Resource Conservation and Germplasm Enhancement, Kunming City, China
| | - Jiachong Liang
- Small Ruminant Department, Yunnan Animal Science and Veterinary Institute, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China.,Yunnan Provincial Genebank of Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources, Yunnan Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Animal Genetic Resource Conservation and Germplasm Enhancement, Kunming City, China
| | - Hongyuan Yang
- Small Ruminant Department, Yunnan Animal Science and Veterinary Institute, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China
| | - Xiaojun Ni
- Small Ruminant Department, Yunnan Animal Science and Veterinary Institute, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China
| | | | - Mujahid Ali Shah
- Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Water, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Guoquan Wu
- Small Ruminant Department, Yunnan Animal Science and Veterinary Institute, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China.,Yunnan Provincial Genebank of Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources, Yunnan Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Animal Genetic Resource Conservation and Germplasm Enhancement, Kunming City, China
| | - Guobo Quan
- Small Ruminant Department, Yunnan Animal Science and Veterinary Institute, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China.,Yunnan Provincial Genebank of Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources, Yunnan Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Animal Genetic Resource Conservation and Germplasm Enhancement, Kunming City, China
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6
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Freezability biomarkers in the epididymal spermatozoa of swamp buffalo. Cryobiology 2022; 106:39-47. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2022.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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7
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Cerdeira J, Castaño C, Pérez JF, Marcos-Beltrán JL, Guerra R, López-Fernández M, Torija E, Rodríguez A, Martínez-Nevado E, Toledano-Díaz A, Sánchez-Calabuig MJ, Santiago-Moreno J. Vitrification of Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus) sperm: A possible alternative to conventional cryopreservation. Anim Reprod Sci 2021; 235:106887. [PMID: 34798241 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2021.106887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Sperm vitrification is a simple, inexpensive method that allows the cryopreservation of sperm in the field and for endangered species is a useful alternative to conventional freezing. The study, therefore, is focused on the suitability of vitrification for cryopreserving Iberian wolf sperm and utilizing plasma testosterone concentration as a marker for procedure efficacy. Sperm and blood samples were collected from 17 wolves. There were 14 samples suitable for cryopreservation (12 ejaculated and two epididymal). Immediately after collection, these samples were proportioned into two aliquots for conventional freezing using a Tris-citric acid-glucose based extender (TCG) or vitrification utilizing an animal protein free extender (HTF®). Vitrification occurred by directly plunging a sperm suspension into liquid nitrogen. Sperm were assessed for motility, membrane integrity, acrosomal status and DNA integrity before and after cryopreservation. With both techniques, there were similar post-thaw/warming results (P > 0.05) with respect to progressive motility, kinetic variables VCL, VSL, VAP and BCF, DNA fragmentation, sperm membrane functionality and morphological abnormalities. Total motile sperm, progression ratios LIN, STR, and WOB, the ALH, sperm viability and sperm with intact membrane and acrosome were greater (P < 0.05) in the conventional frozen-thawed sperm than vitrified-warmed sperm. Plasma testosterone concentrations varied from 0.0 ng/mL to 7.7 ng/mL. For epididymal sperm, sperm motility and viability following thawing were greater in vitrified-warmed samples than conventionally-frozen samples; however, small sample numbers precluded statistical analysis. When considered together, these results indicate vitrification may be a possible alternative for wolf sperm cryopreservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Cerdeira
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine, UCM, Madrid, Spain
| | - C Castaño
- Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - J F Pérez
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine, UCM, Madrid, Spain
| | - J L Marcos-Beltrán
- Consejería de Desarrollo Rural y Recursos Naturales Principado de Asturias, Spain
| | | | | | | | - A Rodríguez
- Centro de Fauna Irrecuperable Kuna Ibérica, Navas del Rey, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - M J Sánchez-Calabuig
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine, UCM, Madrid, Spain.
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8
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Skerrett-Byrne DA, Anderson AL, Hulse L, Wass C, Dun MD, Bromfield EG, De Iuliis GN, Pyne M, Nicolson V, Johnston SD, Nixon B. Proteomic analysis of koala (phascolarctos cinereus) spermatozoa and prostatic bodies. Proteomics 2021; 21:e2100067. [PMID: 34411425 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202100067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The aims of this study were to investigate the proteome of koala spermatozoa and that of the prostatic bodies with which they interact during ejaculation. For this purpose, spermatozoa and prostatic bodies were fractionated from the semen of four male koalas and analysed by HPLC MS/MS. This strategy identified 744 sperm and 1297 prostatic body proteins, which were subsequently attributed to 482 and 776 unique gene products, respectively. Gene ontology curation of the sperm proteome revealed an abundance of proteins mapping to the canonical sirtuin and 14-3-3 signalling pathways. By contrast, protein ubiquitination and unfolded protein response pathways dominated the equivalent analysis of proteins uniquely identified in prostatic bodies. Koala sperm proteins featured an enrichment of those mapping to the functional categories of cellular compromise/inflammatory response, whilst those of the prostatic body revealed an over-representation of molecular chaperone and stress-related proteins. Cross-species comparisons demonstrated that the koala sperm proteome displays greater conservation with that of eutherians (human; 93%) as opposed to reptile (crocodile; 39%) and avian (rooster; 27%) spermatozoa. Together, this work contributes to our overall understanding of the core sperm proteome and has identified biomarkers that may contribute to the exceptional longevity of koala spermatozoa during ex vivo storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Skerrett-Byrne
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Discipline of Biological Sciences, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.,Pregnancy and Reproduction Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Amanda L Anderson
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Discipline of Biological Sciences, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.,Pregnancy and Reproduction Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Lyndal Hulse
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia
| | - Caillin Wass
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia
| | - Matthew D Dun
- Cancer Signalling Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.,Priority Research Centre for Cancer Research Innovation and Translation, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Lambton, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Elizabeth G Bromfield
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Discipline of Biological Sciences, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.,Pregnancy and Reproduction Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Geoffry N De Iuliis
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Discipline of Biological Sciences, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.,Pregnancy and Reproduction Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Michael Pyne
- Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Currumbin, Queensland, Australia
| | - Vere Nicolson
- Dreamworld, Dreamworld Parkway, Coomera, Queensland, Australia
| | - Stephen D Johnston
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia
| | - Brett Nixon
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Discipline of Biological Sciences, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.,Pregnancy and Reproduction Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia
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9
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Fuentes-Albero MC, González-Brusi L, Cots P, Luongo C, Abril-Sánchez S, Ros-Santaella JL, Pintus E, Ruiz-Díaz S, Barros-García C, Sánchez-Calabuig MJ, García-Párraga D, Avilés M, Izquierdo Rico MJ, García-Vázquez FA. Protein Identification of Spermatozoa and Seminal Plasma in Bottlenose Dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus). Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:673961. [PMID: 34336830 PMCID: PMC8323341 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.673961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteins play an important role in many reproductive functions such as sperm maturation, sperm transit in the female genital tract or sperm-oocyte interaction. However, in general, little information concerning reproductive features is available in the case of aquatic animals. The present study aims to characterize the proteome of both spermatozoa and seminal plasma of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) as a model organism for cetaceans. Ejaculate samples were obtained from two trained dolphins housed in an aquarium. Spermatozoa and seminal plasma were analyzed by means of proteomic analyses using an LC-MS/MS, and a list with the gene symbols corresponding to each protein was submitted to the DAVID database. Of the 419 proteins identified in spermatozoa and 303 in seminal plasma, 111 proteins were shared by both. Furthermore, 70 proteins were identified as involved in reproductive processes, 39 in spermatozoa, and 31 in seminal plasma. The five most abundant proteins were also identified in these samples: AKAP3, ODF2, TUBB, GSTM3, ROPN1 for spermatozoa and CST11, LTF, ALB, HSP90B1, PIGR for seminal plasma. In conclusion, this study provides the first characterization of the proteome in cetacean sperm and seminal plasma, opening the way to future research into new biomarkers, the analysis of conservation capacity or possible additional applications in the field of assisted reproductive technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari-Carmen Fuentes-Albero
- Department of Biology, Avanqua-Oceanogràfic S.L, Valencia, Spain.,Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Leopoldo González-Brusi
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Paula Cots
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Chiara Luongo
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Silvia Abril-Sánchez
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - José Luis Ros-Santaella
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Eliana Pintus
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Sara Ruiz-Díaz
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Agricultural and Food Research and Technology Institute (INIA), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - María-Jesús Sánchez-Calabuig
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Agricultural and Food Research and Technology Institute (INIA), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel García-Párraga
- Department of Biology, Avanqua-Oceanogràfic S.L, Valencia, Spain.,Research Department, Fundación Oceanogràfic, Valencia, Spain
| | - Manuel Avilés
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Mᵃ José Izquierdo Rico
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
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