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Palacios P, Peláez G, Soria M, Méndez S, Galarza-Álvarez L, Dorado J, Santiago-Moreno J, Galarza DA. l-carnitine enhances the kinematics and protects the sperm membranes of chilled and frozen-thawed Peruvian Paso horse spermatozoa. Cryobiology 2024; 115:104884. [PMID: 38460835 DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2024.104884] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
l-carnitine (LC) transports fatty acids to the mitochondria for energy production, reducing lipid availability for peroxidation through β-oxidation. This research examines the effect of LC supplementation to two skimmed milk-based extenders on the cryosurvival of chilled (5°C) and frozen-thawed Peruvian Paso horse spermatozoa .An initial experiment determined the optimal LC concentration (0, 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 mM) when added to INRA-96® and UHT (skimmed milk + 6% egg yolk) extenders, using nine ejaculates from three stallions chilled for up to 96 h. Subsequently, the effect of 25 mM LC supplementation (the optimal concentration) on chilling (INRA-96) and freezing (INRA-Freeze®) extenders was evaluated using eight pooled samples from sixteen ejaculates (2 ejaculates/pool) from four stallions. Results indicated that all LC concentrations produced significantly higher values (P<0.05) for kinematic variables (total [TM] and progressive motilities, curvilinear [VCL] and straight-line [VSL] velocity, and beat-cross frequency [BCF]), and the integrity of plasma/acrosome membranes (IPIA) compared to non-supplemented chilled sperm samples for up to 96 h with both extenders. Moreover, the use of 25 mM LC was more efficient (P<0.05) in preserving the post-chilled values of velocity, BCF, and IPIA for the long term than lower LC concentrations (1-10 mM). Post-thaw values of total motility, the amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH), and IPIA were significantly improved (P<0.05) when INRA-Freeze extender was supplemented with 25 mM LC. In conclusion, supplementation of l-carnitine to skimmed milk-based extenders enhanced kinematic variables and protected the membrane integrity in chilled and frozen-thawed Peruvian Paso horse spermatozoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Palacios
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología de la Reproducción Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad de Cuenca, EC010205, Cuenca, Ecuador
| | - Gabriela Peláez
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología de la Reproducción Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad de Cuenca, EC010205, Cuenca, Ecuador
| | - Manuel Soria
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología de la Reproducción Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad de Cuenca, EC010205, Cuenca, Ecuador
| | - Silvana Méndez
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología de la Reproducción Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad de Cuenca, EC010205, Cuenca, Ecuador
| | - Luis Galarza-Álvarez
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología de la Reproducción Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad de Cuenca, EC010205, Cuenca, Ecuador
| | - Jesús Dorado
- Veterinary Reproduction Group, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Cordoba, 14014, Cordoba, Spain
| | | | - Diego A Galarza
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología de la Reproducción Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad de Cuenca, EC010205, Cuenca, Ecuador.
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Kleve-Feld M, Orlando W, Schulze M. Modern feeding strategies for breeding boars. Anim Reprod Sci 2024:107497. [PMID: 38744579 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2024.107497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Feeding of breeding boars in artificial insemination (AI) centers is critical to maintaining and improving breeding quality and performance in agriculture. Modern feeding strategies for AI boars are aiming towards maximizing their lifetime semen dose output. Given the high growth potential of modern swine genetics, AI boars should be controlled in their daily gain to reduce stress factors for the locomotion system, final body weights, and improve their survivability but also the ease of handling boars. The feeding program should be designed in such a way that young boars (up to 7 months of age) are limited to a daily gain of 400-600 g. Mature boars should be fed towards a body condition score of '2'. Aside from energy intake, protein sources should provide 0.62% SID lysine. As far as minerals and vitamins, special attention should be given to Calcium and Phosphorus as they play a crucial role in bone mineralization. A standardized total tract digestible Calcium-Phosphorus ratio between 1.75:1 and 1.82:1 seems to be most favorable. While certain nutritional requirements are needed to enable the production of ejaculates eligible for AI, considerations should be given to the mitigation of risk factors like mycotoxins, herbicides, and pesticides. Most feed additives and supplements lack consistency in their effect across studies evaluated in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kleve-Feld
- Pig Improvement Company, 100 Bluegrass Commons Blvd. Ste 2200, Hendersonville, TN 37075, USA.
| | - Weasley Orlando
- Pig Improvement Company, 100 Bluegrass Commons Blvd. Ste 2200, Hendersonville, TN 37075, USA
| | - Martin Schulze
- Institute for Reproduction of Farm Animals Schönow, Bernauer Allee 10, Bernau D-16321, Germany
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Wu Y, Li H, Miao Y, Peng J, Wei H. Effects of Methionine Restriction from Different Sources on Sperm Quality in Aging Mice. Nutrients 2023; 15:4782. [PMID: 38004176 PMCID: PMC10675477 DOI: 10.3390/nu15224782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Decreased sperm quality causing poor pregnancy outcomes in aging males is a common problem. The aim of this study was to investigate the ameliorative effect of methionine restriction on sperm quality in aging mice, using methionine or 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoate (HMTBA) as the methionine source, with a view to providing nutritional strategies to mitigate the decline in sperm quality in aging livestock. Fifty-one 6-week-old male mice were randomly divided into four groups: the non-aging group (NA, 0.86% methionine), the control diet group (CD, 0.86% methionine), the methionine-restricted group (MR, 0.17% methionine) and the HMTBA-restricted group (HR, 0.17% methionine). The mice in the CD, MR and HR groups were injected with a daily dose of 0.25 mL/20 g body weight of 10% D-galactose to establish an aging model. The test period was 42 days. The results showed that aging mice in the CD group had impaired testicular morphology and significantly decreased sperm quality compared to those in the NA group. Aging mice in the MR and HR groups showed attenuated impaired testicular morphology and improved sperm quality, especially sperm acrosomal integrity and membrane integrity, compared to mice in the CD group. In addition, mice in the MR and HR groups had reduced testicular inflammation and oxidative stress, increased spermidine levels, and reduced sperm RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) and DNA 5-methylcytosine (5mC) levels. Spermidine levels were positively correlated, whereas sperm RNA m6A and DNA 5mC levels were negatively correlated with sperm quality parameters. Our study suggests that methionine restriction alleviates the decline in sperm quality in aging mice, which may be related to changes in methionine metabolism and inhibition of sperm DNA and RNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinghui Wu
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (Y.W.); (Y.M.); (J.P.)
| | - Hao Li
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (Y.W.); (Y.M.); (J.P.)
| | - Yueyue Miao
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (Y.W.); (Y.M.); (J.P.)
| | - Jian Peng
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (Y.W.); (Y.M.); (J.P.)
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Animal Breeding and Sustainable Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Hongkui Wei
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (Y.W.); (Y.M.); (J.P.)
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Animal Breeding and Sustainable Production, Wuhan 430070, China
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Balogun KB, Lu N, Orlando U, Torborg H, Kleve-Feld M, Denton A, Holstine A, Stewart KR. Effects of dietary carnitine supplementation on semen output and quality of boars. Transl Anim Sci 2022; 6:txac143. [DOI: 10.1093/tas/txac143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Carnitine is an amino acid derivative that performs the functions of increasing energy production as well as acting as an antioxidant for sperm cells. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the inclusion of carnitine in boar diets on semen output and quality. Sixty-four purebred and hybrid boars at a commercial boar stud were blocked by age and semen quality and randomly allotted to receive a daily 30 g top-dress of either soybean meal (CON) or soybean meal and 625 mg of L-Carnitine (CARN). Supplementation lasted for 12 weeks from May to July 2021 during which weekly semen collection was performed. Semen was evaluated in the stud for concentration and motility parameters using computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA). Samples were shipped to Purdue University for detailed morphology, viability, and CASA analysis performed in samples stored at 17 °C for 5 days. PROC Mixed (SAS v 9.4) was used to analyze data, with boar nested within treatment used in repeated measures analysis. Semen quality estimates from the week before supplementation were used as covariates in the statistical model. Tukey–Kramer adjustment was used for means separation. Carnitine supplementation had no effects on total sperm produced (P = 0.35). Percentage of motile sperm cells (P = 0.63), morphologically normal sperm (P = 0.42), viable sperm (P = 0.43), or sperm with normal acrosomes (P = 0.61) in the ejaculates were not different among treatments. Sperm kinematics in CARN ejaculates tended to have greater straight-line velocity and distance (P = 0.06 and P = 0.07, respectively). There were several interactions of treatment and day of storage for the kinematic parameters. However, these interactions do not show observable trends for CARN to improve or depress sperm function. Overall, the inclusion of 625 mg/d of carnitine in the diet of boars for 12 weeks had no effects on sperm output or quality with minor changes to sperm cell kinematics.
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Affiliation(s)
- K B Balogun
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University , West Lafayette, 47907 IN , USA
| | - N Lu
- Genus PIC , Hendersonville, 37075 TN , USA
| | - U Orlando
- Genus PIC , Hendersonville, 37075 TN , USA
| | - H Torborg
- Kaesler Nutrition , Zeppelinstrasse 3, 27472 Cuxhaven , Germany
| | | | - A Denton
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University , West Lafayette, 47907 IN , USA
| | - A Holstine
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University , West Lafayette, 47907 IN , USA
| | - K R Stewart
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University , West Lafayette, 47907 IN , USA
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Spliced X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1s) protects spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced damage by regulating the testicular microenvironment. Theriogenology 2022; 191:132-140. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Mateo-Otero Y, Fernández-López P, Delgado-Bermúdez A, Nolis P, Roca J, Miró J, Barranco I, Yeste M. Metabolomic fingerprinting of pig seminal plasma identifies in vivo fertility biomarkers. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2021; 12:113. [PMID: 34772452 PMCID: PMC8588628 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-021-00636-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Metabolomic approaches, which include the study of low molecular weight molecules, are an emerging -omics technology useful for identification of biomarkers. In this field, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has already been used to uncover (in) fertility biomarkers in the seminal plasma (SP) of several mammalian species. However, NMR studies profiling the porcine SP metabolome to uncover in vivo fertility biomarkers are yet to be carried out. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the putative relationship between SP-metabolites and in vivo fertility outcomes. To this end, 24 entire ejaculates (three ejaculates per boar) were collected from artificial insemination (AI)-boars throughout a year (one ejaculate every 4 months). Immediately after collection, ejaculates were centrifuged to obtain SP-samples, which were stored for subsequent metabolomic analysis by NMR spectroscopy. Fertility outcomes from 1525 inseminations were recorded over a year, including farrowing rate, litter size, stillbirths per litter and the duration of pregnancy. Results A total of 24 metabolites were identified and quantified in all SP-samples. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that lactate levels in SP had discriminative capacity for farrowing rate (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.764) while carnitine (AUC = 0.847), hypotaurine (AUC = 0.819), sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (AUC = 0.833), glutamate (AUC = 0.799) and glucose (AUC = 0.750) showed it for litter size. Similarly, citrate (AUC = 0.743), creatine (AUC = 0.812), phenylalanine (AUC = 0.750), tyrosine (AUC = 0.753) and malonate (AUC = 0.868) levels had discriminative capacity for stillbirths per litter; and malonate (AUC = 0.767) and fumarate (AUC = 0.868) levels for gestation length. Conclusions The assessment of selected SP-metabolites in ejaculates through NMR spectroscopy could be considered as a promising non-invasive tool to predict in vivo fertility outcomes in pigs. Moreover, supplementing AI-doses with specific metabolites should also be envisaged as a way to improve their fertility potential. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40104-021-00636-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yentel Mateo-Otero
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, ES-17003, Girona, Spain.,Department of Biology, Unit of Cell Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, ES-17003, Girona, Spain
| | - Pol Fernández-López
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB), Spanish Research Council (CSIC), ES-17300, Girona, Spain
| | - Ariadna Delgado-Bermúdez
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, ES-17003, Girona, Spain.,Department of Biology, Unit of Cell Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, ES-17003, Girona, Spain
| | - Pau Nolis
- Magnetic Nuclear Resonance Facility, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, ES-08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Jordi Roca
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, ES-30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Jordi Miró
- Equine Reproduction Service, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, ES-08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Isabel Barranco
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, ES-17003, Girona, Spain. .,Department of Biology, Unit of Cell Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, ES-17003, Girona, Spain. .,Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, IT-40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Marc Yeste
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, ES-17003, Girona, Spain. .,Department of Biology, Unit of Cell Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, ES-17003, Girona, Spain.
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Logistic Regression Analysis Factors Affecting Sperm Motility and Abnormal Sperm Morphology in Boars. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9121004. [PMID: 31756982 PMCID: PMC6941152 DOI: 10.3390/ani9121004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Reduced sperm motility and morphological abnormalities have significant negative impacts on conception rates in sows and are important indexes of semen. The identification of factors that influence sperm motility and morphology will improve boar fertility in commercial herds. On the basis of analysis of 5042 ejaculates from 385 boars using a logistic regression model, we found that serum Cu excess, serum Fe deficiency, and Pb presence in seminal plasma were risk factors for poor semen quality in boars. More importantly, the presence of seminal plasma Pb had more serious effect on the probability of abnormal sperm morphology than serum Cu excess and serum Fe deficiency. In addition, Yorkshire and Landrace boars had higher sperm motility and lower abnormal sperm morphology than Duroc boars. The difference in serum and seminal plasma elements among boars with different semen qualities may become a guide for regulating these elements used in boar diet. The highly predictive values of serum Cu, Fe, and seminal plasma Pb could be used in the future as an additional tool in semen quality evaluation. Abstract Logistic regression models, including variables of boar breed, age, serum, and seminal plasma elements, were used to identify the influencing factors of sperm motility and morphology in this study. Sperm motility degree was classified as grade 0: ≤85% and grade 1: >85%. Abnormal sperm morphology was classified as grade 0: ≤10%, grade 1: 10–20%, and grade 2: >20%. Element concentration of 385 boars was detected by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Results showed that boars with serum Cu ≥ 2.5 mg/L had lower sperm motility (odds ratio (OR): 0.496; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.285–0.864) and higher abnormal sperm morphology (OR: 2.003; 95% CI: 1.189–3.376) than those with serum Cu ≤ 2.0 mg/L. Boars with serum Fe ≥ 1.5 mg/L had lower abnormal sperm morphology than those with serum Fe ≤ 1.0 mg/L (OR: 0.463; 95% CI: 0.255–0.842). The presence of Pb in seminal plasma increased abnormal sperm morphology. The probability of abnormal sperm morphology >20% from boars with seminal plasma Pb increased with a range of 5.78–15.30% than that from boars without seminal plasma Pb among three breeds. In conclusion, serum Cu excess, serum Fe deficiency, and seminal plasma Pb are risk factors for poor semen quality in boars.
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Souza CVD, Brandão FZ, Santos JDR, Alfradique VAP, Santos VMBD, Morais MCDC, Rangel PSC, Silva AAD, Souza-Fabjan JMG. Effect of different concentrations of l-carnitine in extender for semen cryopreservation in sheep. Cryobiology 2019; 89:104-108. [PMID: 31121151 DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2019.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
This study assessed the effect of l-carnitine (LC) in sheep semen extenders containing or not egg yolk for cryopreservation in sheep. Two extenders (TRIS-egg yolk or the commercial optiXcell™ IMV medium) were used, totaling six groups: IMV - (0, 5 and 10 mM LC) and TRIS - (0, 5 and 10 mM LC). After the freezing-thawing process and throughout incubation at 38 °C for up to 3 h, several parameters were evaluated: sperm kinetics, hypoosmotic, plasma membrane integrity, capacitation status and lipid peroxidation level. The supplementation of either 5 or 10 mM LC randomly affected some parameters and, overall, TRIS was superior (P < 0.05) than IMV extender. In the LC-groups, IMV had greater (P < 0.05) oxidative stress than TRIS. In conclusion, although LC affected isolated parameters, its supplementation in semen extender had no consistently beneficial effect on freezing-thawing ram sperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Vieira de Souza
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Vital Brasil Filho, 64, Niterói, RJ, 24320-340, Brazil
| | - Felipe Zandonadi Brandão
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Vital Brasil Filho, 64, Niterói, RJ, 24320-340, Brazil
| | - Juliana Dantas Rodrigues Santos
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Vital Brasil Filho, 64, Niterói, RJ, 24320-340, Brazil
| | | | | | - Maria Clara da Cruz Morais
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Vital Brasil Filho, 64, Niterói, RJ, 24320-340, Brazil
| | - Paulo Sergio Cerqueira Rangel
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade do Grande Rio, Rua Professor José de Souza Herdy, 1160, Duque de Caxias, RJ, 25071-202, Brazil
| | - Andreza Amaral da Silva
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Rodovia BR 465, Km 07, Seropédica, RJ, 23890-000, Brazil
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Wu YH, Lai W, Liu ZH, Wei HK, Zhou YF, Tan JJ, Sun HQ, Li SQ, Peng J. Serum and Seminal Plasma Element Concentrations in Relation to Semen Quality in Duroc Boars. Biol Trace Elem Res 2019; 189:85-94. [PMID: 30069693 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-018-1459-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Element concentrations in serum and seminal plasma were studied in Duroc boars with different semen quality characteristics. Based on the utilization rate of 2174 ejaculates from June to August in 2016, a total of 166 Duroc boars were allocated into three groups: low utilization rate group (LG, 0 to 60% utilization rate), medium utilization rate group (MG, 60 to 80%), and high utilization rate group (HG, 80 to 100%). Serum and seminal plasma samples were collected, and element levels were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results showed that LG boars had higher concentrations of serum copper and seminal plasma cadmium compared with MG and HG boars (P < 0.05), and serum copper and seminal plasma cadmium were negatively correlated with sperm motility, while positively correlated with the abnormal sperm rate. We observed the abnormal sperm rate increased by approximately 4.53% with serum copper increasing from 1.63 to 2.44 mg/L, while sperm motility decreased by approximately 2.85% with seminal plasma cadmium increasing from 0 to 0.82 μg/L. Moreover, serum iron and manganese levels in the LG group were significantly reduced compared with the HG boars (P < 0.05), and the two elements were negatively correlated with the abnormal sperm rate (P < 0.05). In conclusion, excessive copper and absence of iron and manganese in serum as well as higher seminal plasma cadmium may reduce the utilization rate of semen by impairing sperm motility and morphology, indicating the importance of adding and monitoring microelements in boar diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Hui Wu
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen Lai
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Zi-Hui Liu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-Kui Wei
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan-Fei Zhou
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia-Jian Tan
- YangXiang Joint Stock Company, Guigang, 537000, People's Republic of China
| | - Hai-Qing Sun
- YangXiang Joint Stock Company, Guigang, 537000, People's Republic of China
| | - Sheng-Qing Li
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Peng
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China.
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China.
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Microelements in seminal and serum plasma are associated with fresh semen quality in Yorkshire boars. Theriogenology 2019; 132:88-94. [PMID: 31004878 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2019.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Revised: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to explore associations between semen quality and trace element level in serum and seminal plasma in Yorkshire boars. Semen quality of 112 Yorkshire boars was assessed for 13 weeks to calculate semen utilization rate, which was then divided into three categories: low utilization rate group (LG, < 60% utilization rate), medium utilization rate group (MG, 60-80%), and high utilization rate group (HG, > 80%). After grouping, serum and seminal plasma samples of selected boars were collected to determine concentrations of 10 elements including Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Zn, Mn, Se, Cr, Pb and Cd using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Results showed the increase of semen utilization rate was accompanied by the increase of sperm motility and the decrease of abnormal sperm rate among three groups (P < 0.01). Serum Fe concentration in LG boars was lower than that in HG boars (P < 0.05). Regression analysis revealed serum Fe concentration was positively correlated with sperm motility (r = 0.251; P < 0.05), while negatively correlated with abnormal sperm rate (r = -0.207; P < 0.05). However, MG and HG boars had lower serum Se concentration than LG boars (P < 0.05), and serum Se concentration contribution to sperm motility varied in a quadratic manner (Sperm motility = -0.0004 Se(serum)2 +0.136 Se+74.06; r = 0.300; P < 0.01). Semen utilization rate tended to decrease with the increase of seminal plasma Pb concentration (P = 0.09). Regression analysis exhibited seminal plasma Pb negatively related to sperm motility (r = -0.237; P < 0.05), while positively correlated with abnormal sperm rate (r = 0.237; P < 0.05). Furthermore, seminal plasma Pb was the most influential factor among trace element in serum and seminal plasma on sperm motility basing on the generalized linear model analysis (P < 0.05). Sperm motility decreased by approximately 3.47% when seminal plasma Pb concentration increased from 0 μg/L to 11.16 μg/L. In conclusion, deficiency of serum Fe reduces semen utilization rate by impairing sperm motility and morphology, whereas excessive serum Se decreases sperm motility. More importantly, the mere existence of seminal plasma Pb has more impact on semen quality than other trace elements in serum and seminal plasma in Yorkshire boars.
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11
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Liu Q, Zhou Y, Duan R, Wei H, Jiang S, Peng J. Lower dietary n-6 : n-3 ratio and high-dose vitamin E supplementation improve sperm morphology and oxidative stress in boars. Reprod Fertil Dev 2018; 29:940-949. [PMID: 28442045 DOI: 10.1071/rd15424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A 2×2 factorial experiment (10 boars per treatment) was conducted for 16 weeks to evaluate the effects of the dietary n-6:n-3 ratio (14:1 vs 6:1) and vitamin E (200 vs 400mg kg-1) on boar sperm morphology and oxidative stress. Sperm mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA damage (8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine; 8-OHdG), seminal lipoperoxidation (malondialdehyde; MDA) and antioxidant capacity in the serum, spermatozoa and seminal plasma were assessed as indicators of oxidative stress. Sperm production was similar among groups but increased (P<0.05) throughout the 16 weeks of the study. Although sperm α-tocopherol content, ROS and seminal MDA did not differ between the two dietary n-6:n-3 ratio treatments, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity and MMP, but decreased 8-OHdG, were found in spermatozoa from boars consuming the 6:1 diet. The diet with the 6:1 ratio positively affected sperm morphology at Weeks 12 and 16 (P<0.05). The α-tocopherol content and antioxidant capacity increased in boars with increasing levels of vitamin E supplementation. Compared with low-dose vitamin E, high-dose vitamin E supplementation improved sperm morphology. Overall, the results indicate that an n-6:n-3 ratio of 6:1 and 400 mg/kg vitamin E have beneficial effects on sperm morphology by improving antioxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Liu
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Yuanfei Zhou
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Runjia Duan
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Hongkui Wei
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Siwen Jiang
- Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education and Key Lab of Swine Genetics and Breeding of Ministry of Agriculture, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Jian Peng
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070, Wuhan, P. R. China
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Dietary l-arginine supplementation improves semen quality and libido of boars under high ambient temperature. Animal 2017; 12:1611-1620. [PMID: 29198215 DOI: 10.1017/s1751731117003147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
l-Arginine is a nutritionally essential amino acid for spermatogenesis and plays versatile roles in animal health and can be utilized as a potential agent to improve reproductive performance of boars under high ambient temperature. The present study aimed to determine whether dietary l-arginine could alleviate heat stress-induced infertility in boars. In all, 20 boars (PIC 1040; 248.59±3.84 kg BW and 407.65±6.40 days of age) were selected and randomly assigned to four groups (group 0.0%, basal diet; group 0.6%, 0.8% or 1.0%, basal diet added with 0.6%, 0.8% or 1.0% l-arginine (wt:wt), respectively.) The four diets were made isonitrogenous by addition of appropriate amounts of l-alanine. Boars were pre-fed the corresponding experimental diet for 42 days. Then, the semen characteristics and libido were accessed for 6 weeks during the hot summer period (25.5° to 33.0°C). Results show that dietary l-arginine remarkably improved sperm motility, normality, total sperm number and effective total sperm number. Also, dietary l-arginine improved semen antioxidant capacity, such as decrease of malondialdehyde and 8-Hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine content in sperm (P<0.05), increase of the ratio of glutathione and oxidized glutathione, total antioxidant capacity, glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities in seminal plasma (P<0.05). Most of mitochondria contained intact ultrastructure in l-arginine-supplemented group which also accompany with higher ATP content than the 0.0% group. The boars fed 0.8% l-arginine show increased levels of estradiol-17β and testosterone and exhibit improved libido performance than boars in the 0.0% group. Adding dietary l-arginine linearly increased (P=0.002) nitric oxide content (as l-arginine increased). The scrotal surface temperature in the 0.6%, 0.8% and 1.0% group were decreased by 0.9°C, 0.9°C and 0.4°C, respectively, compared with the 0.0% group. l-Arginine levels caused linear effect on semen quality and antioxidant capacity, also caused quadratic effect on libido performance. During the hot summer months, the predicted optimal l-arginine levels for best semen quality and antioxidant capacity was 0.8% to 1.0% and for best libido performance was 0.8%. It can be concluded that l-arginine can be used as an effective agent to alleviate heat stress-induced infertility of boar, and that 0.8% to 1.0% can be considered as the optimum dosage.
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13
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Wang C, Li JL, Wei HK, Zhou YF, Tan JJ, Sun HQ, Jiang SW, Peng J. Effects of feeding regimen on weight gain, semen characteristics, libido, and lameness in 170- to 250-kilogram Duroc boars. J Anim Sci 2017; 94:4666-4676. [PMID: 27898961 DOI: 10.2527/jas.2016-0803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A 2-period field trial was conducted to determine the effects of feeding regimen on weight gain, semen characteristics, libido, and lameness in 170- to 200-kg (period 1) and 200- to 250-kg (period 2) boars. Sixty-one Duroc boars were allotted to 1 of 3 dietary treatments and 15 g/d fish oil was also provided for each experimental boar, to maintain the n-6:n-3 intake ratio at approximately 6.1:1. The energy intakes of the 3 treatment groups were controlled by basing the feed intake on a corn-soybean meal-based diet (3.11 Mcal/kg of ME) to create: 1) low energy intake group (L, = 20, 7.3 Mcal/d of ME), 2) medium energy intake group (M, = 20, 7.7 Mcal/d of ME), and 3) high energy intake group (H, = 21, 8.3 Mcal/d of ME) in period 1. Feed intake was then increased to 7.6, 8.2, and 8.6 Mcal/d of ME for the 3 groups, respectively, in period 2. During the 28-wk experimental period, boar weight gain, testis volume, semen characteristics, libido, toe measurements, claw lesions, and lameness were examined, and the number of boars culled in each group was recorded to calculate the culling rate. Although there were no differences in testis volume, sperm concentration, and motility, the percentage of abnormal sperm, the percentage of claw lesions, and claw lesion scores differed among treatments ( > 0.05), and ADG was significantly increased with the increase of energy intake between the 2 periods ( < 0.05). The M and H boars had significantly greater total sperm number and functional sperm number than the L boars ( < 0.05), while no significant difference was observed between the M and H groups ( > 0.05). Nonetheless, the H boars took more time to mount the collection dummy and produce an ejaculate and, in particular, showed a greater percentage of lameness than the L and M boars ( < 0.05). Therefore, the medium energy intake regimen (energy intakes of 7.7 and 8.2 Mcal/d of ME with ADG of 454.5 and 375.3 g/d in 2 periods, respectively) improved the total sperm number and functional sperm number, and meanwhile decreased the occurrence of lameness in 170- to 250-kg Duroc boars.
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14
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Fattah A, Sharafi M, Masoudi R, Shahverdi A, Esmaeili V, Najafi A. l -Carnitine in rooster semen cryopreservation: Flow cytometric, biochemical and motion findings for frozen-thawed sperm. Cryobiology 2017; 74:148-153. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2016.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Revised: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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15
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Liu Q, Zhou Y, Duan R, Wei H, Jiang S, Peng J. Effects of dietary n-6:n-3 fatty acid ratio and vitamin E on semen quality, fatty acid composition and antioxidant status in boars. Anim Reprod Sci 2015; 162:11-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2015.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Revised: 08/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/25/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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16
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Gibb Z, Lambourne SR, Quadrelli J, Smith ND, Aitken RJ. L-carnitine and pyruvate are prosurvival factors during the storage of stallion spermatozoa at room temperature. Biol Reprod 2015; 93:104. [PMID: 26316064 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.115.131326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2015] [Accepted: 08/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The spermatozoa of many stallions do not tolerate being cooled, restricting the commercial viability of these animals and necessitating the development of a chemically defined room temperature (RT) storage medium. This study examined the impact of two major modulators of oxidative phosphorylation, pyruvate (Pyr) and L-carnitine (L-C), on the storage of stallion spermatozoa at RT. Optimal concentrations of Pyr (10 mM) and L-C (50 mM) were first identified and these concentrations were then used to investigate the effects of these compounds on sperm functionality and oxidative stress at RT. Mitochondrial and cytosolic reactive oxygen species, along with lipid peroxidation, were all significantly suppressed by the addition of L-C (48 h MitoSOX Red negative: 46.2% vs. 26.1%; 48 and 72 h dihydroethidium negative: 61.6% vs. 43.1% and 64.4% vs. 46.9%, respectively; 48 and 72 h 4-hydroxynonenal negative: 37.1% vs. 23.8% and 41.6% vs. 25.7%, respectively), while the Pyr + L-C combination resulted in significantly higher motility compared to the control at 72 h (total motility: 64.2% vs. 39.4%; progressive motility: 34.2% vs. 15.2%). In addition, supplementation with L-C significantly reduced oxidative DNA damage at 72 h (9.0% vs. 15.6%). To investigate the effects of L-C as an osmolyte, comparisons were made between media that were osmotically balanced with NaCl, choline chloride, or L-C. This analysis demonstrated that spermatozoa stored in the L-C balanced medium had significantly higher total motility (55.0% vs. 39.0%), rapid motility (44.0% vs. 25.7%), and ATP levels (70.9 vs. 12.8 ng/ml) following storage compared with the NaCl treatment, while choline chloride did not significantly improve these parameters compared to the control. Finally, mass spectrometry was used to demonstrate that a combination of Pyr and L-C produced significantly higher acetyl-L-carnitine production than any other treatment (6.7 pg/10(6) spermatozoa vs. control at 4.0 pg/10(6) spermatozoa). These findings suggest that Pyr and L-C could form the basis of a novel, effective RT storage medium for equine spermatozoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zamira Gibb
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, Discipline of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and IT, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sarah R Lambourne
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, Discipline of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and IT, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Julianne Quadrelli
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, Discipline of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and IT, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Nathan D Smith
- Analytical and Biomolecular Research Facility, Central Scientific Services, Research Services, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Robert J Aitken
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, Discipline of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and IT, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
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17
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Manee-In S, Parmornsupornvichit S, Kraiprayoon S, Tharasanit T, Chanapiwat P, Kaeoket K. L-carnitine Supplemented Extender Improves Cryopreserved-thawed Cat Epididymal Sperm Motility. ASIAN-AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCES 2014; 27:791-6. [PMID: 25050016 PMCID: PMC4093175 DOI: 10.5713/ajas.2013.13565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2013] [Revised: 12/30/2013] [Accepted: 02/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Cryopreservation of epididymal sperm is an effective technique to preserve genetic materials of domestic cats and wild felids when they unexpectedly die. However, this technique inevitably causes detrimental changes of cryopreserved-thawed spermatozoa, for example, by physical damage and excessive oxidative stress. L-carnitine is an antioxidant that has been used to improve sperm motility in humans and domestic animals. This study aimed to investigate the effects of L-carnitine on cat epididymal sperm quality following cryopreservation and thawing. After routine castration, cauda epididymides were collected from 60 cat testes. The epididymal spermatozoa from 3 cauda epididymides were pooled as 1 replicate. Spermatozoa samples (16 replicates) were examined for spermatozoa quality and then randomly divided into 4 groups: 0 mM L-carnitine (control), 12.5 mM, 25 mM and 50 mM L-carnitine. The sperm aliquots were then equilibrated and conventionally frozen. After thawing, sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity, DNA integrity and acrosome integrity were evaluated. The 25 mM L-carnitine significantly improved sperm motility compared with a control group (p<0.05), although this was not significantly different among other concentrations. In conclusion, supplementation of 25 mM L-carnitine in freezing extender improves cauda epididymal spermatozoa motility. The effects of L-carnitine on the levels of oxidative stress during freezing and thawing remains to be examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Manee-In
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Prathom 73170, Thailand
| | | | - S Kraiprayoon
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Prathom 73170, Thailand
| | - T Tharasanit
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - P Chanapiwat
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Prathom 73170, Thailand
| | - K Kaeoket
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Prathom 73170, Thailand
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18
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Abdel-Khal A, Zaghlool H, Gabr SA. Performance and Semen Traits of Friesian Bulls Administrated with Free L-Carnitine
as Metabolic Regulator. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.3923/ajas.2015.13.24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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19
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Banihani S, Agarwal A, Sharma R, Bayachou M. Cryoprotective effect ofl-carnitine on motility, vitality and DNA oxidation of human spermatozoa. Andrologia 2013; 46:637-41. [DOI: 10.1111/and.12130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- S. Banihani
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences; Jordan University of Science and Technology; Irbid Jordan
| | - A. Agarwal
- Center for Reproductive Medicine; Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute; Cleveland Clinic; Cleveland OH USA
| | - R. Sharma
- Center for Reproductive Medicine; Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute; Cleveland Clinic; Cleveland OH USA
| | - M. Bayachou
- Department of Chemistry; Cleveland State University; Cleveland OH USA
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20
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Effects of meldonium on sexual performance, sperm motility, testes morphology and blood biochemical markers in boars. Anim Reprod Sci 2013; 136:303-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2012.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2012] [Revised: 11/09/2012] [Accepted: 11/12/2012] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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21
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Speight SM, Estienne MJ, Harper AF, Crawford RJ, Knight JW, Whitaker BD. Effects of dietary supplementation with an organic source of selenium on characteristics of semen quality and in vitro fertility in boars. J Anim Sci 2011; 90:761-70. [PMID: 21965448 DOI: 10.2527/jas.2011-3874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Semen characteristics in boars fed organic or inorganic sources of Se were assessed in 3 experiments. Crossbred boars were randomly assigned at weaning to 1 of 3 dietary treatments: I) basal diets with no supplemental Se (control), II) basal diets with 0.3 mg/kg of supplemental Se from an organic source (Sel-Plex, Alltech Inc., Nicholasville, KY), and III) basal diets supplemented with 0.3 mg/kg of supplemental Se from sodium selenite (Premium Selenium 270, North American Nutrition Co. Inc., Lewisburg, OH). For Exp. 1, semen was collected from boars (n = 10/dietary treatment) on 5 consecutive days at 15 mo of age. Effects of treatment × day were detected for the proportions of progressively motile (P = 0.02) and rapidly moving (P = 0.03) spermatozoa, and measures of sperm velocity, including path velocity of the smoothed cell path (P = 0.05) and average velocity measured in a straight line from the beginning to the end of the track (P = 0.05). Negative effects of day of semen collection on sperm motility were least pronounced in boars fed Sel-Plex. Experiment 2 was conducted when boars were 17 mo of age, and semen was collected (n = 10 boars/dietary treatment), diluted in commercially available extenders, and stored at 18°C for 9 d. Effects of treatment × day were detected for percentages of motile (P = 0.01) and static (P = 0.01) spermatozoa, amplitude of lateral head displacement (P = 0.02), frequency with which the sperm track crossed the sperm path (P = 0.04), straightness (P = 0.01), and average size of all sperm heads (P = 0.03). In general, sperm cells from boars fed Sel-Plex were better able to maintain motility during liquid storage compared with boars fed sodium selenite. For Exp. 3, semen was collected from boars (n = 6/dietary treatment) at 23 mo of age, and spermatozoa were evaluated at d 1 and 8 after semen collection using in vitro fertilization procedures. There was a tendency for an effect (P = 0.11) of dietary treatment on fertilization rate with Sel-Plex-fed boars having the greatest value (70.7%). The results of this study suggest that there are positive effects of dietary supplementation with Sel-Plex on boar semen characteristics and that organic Se supplementation may help ameliorate the negative effects of semen storage on characteristics of sperm motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Speight
- Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg 24061, USA
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22
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Banihani S, Sharma R, Bayachou M, Sabanegh E, Agarwal A. Human sperm DNA oxidation, motility and viability in the presence of l-carnitine during in vitro incubation and centrifugation. Andrologia 2011; 44 Suppl 1:505-12. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0272.2011.01216.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
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23
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Dimitriadis F, Tsampalas S, Tsounapi P, Giannakis D, Chaliasos N, Baltogiannis D, Miyagawa I, Saito M, Takenaka A, Sofikitis N. Effects of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor vardenafil on testicular androgen-binding protein secretion, the maintenance of foci of advanced spermatogenesis and the sperm fertilising capacity in azoospermic men. Andrologia 2011; 44 Suppl 1:144-53. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0272.2010.01153.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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25
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A diet supplemented with l-carnitine improves the sperm quality of Piétrain but not of Duroc and Large White boars when photoperiod and temperature increase. Theriogenology 2010; 73:577-86. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2009.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2009] [Revised: 10/21/2009] [Accepted: 10/24/2009] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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26
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The effect of antioxidants on post-thawed Angora goat (Capra hircus ancryrensis) sperm parameters, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant activities. Small Rumin Res 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2009.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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27
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Abstract
In recent years, l-carnitine has been used increasingly as a supplement in livestock animals. The present review gives an overview of the effects of dietary l-carnitine supplementation on the reproductive performance of sows. Results concerning the effect of l-carnitine supplementation during pregnancy on litter sizes are controversial. There are some studies reporting an increased number of piglets born alive per litter, while others could not find such an effect. In contrast, most studies performed show consistently that l-carnitine supplementation to a sow diet low in native carnitine during gestation increases piglet and litter weights at birth and enhances growth of litters during the suckling period. Biochemical mechanisms underlying the favourable effect of carnitine on intra-uterine growth have not been fully elucidated. There is, however, some evidence that carnitine influences the insulin-like growth factor-axis in sows and leads to greater placentae, which in turn improves intra-uterine nutrition, and stimulates oxidation of glucose in the fetuses. These effects may, at least in part, be responsible for higher birth weights of piglets. The stimulating effect of carnitine on growth of the litters might be due to an improved suckling behaviour of piglets born to l-carnitine-supplemented sows, causing the sows' milk production to rise. In conclusion, recent studies have clearly shown that dietary l-carnitine supplementation increases the reproductive performance of sows. These findings suggest that endogenous de novo synthesis of carnitine is insufficient to meet the metabolic requirement of sows during gestation.
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28
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Adabi SG, Babaei AH, Lotfollahi H, Farahvash T, Pour FM. L-Carnitine Effect on Quantity and Quality of African Black Neck Ostrich Sperm. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.3923/ajava.2008.369.374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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29
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Estienne M, Harper A, Crawford R. Dietary supplementation with a source of omega-3 fatty acids increases sperm number and the duration of ejaculation in boars. Theriogenology 2008; 70:70-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2008.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2007] [Revised: 02/13/2008] [Accepted: 02/20/2008] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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30
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Dokmeci D, Inan M, Basaran UN, Yalcin O, Aydogdu N, Turan FN, Uz YH. Protective effect of L-carnitine on testicular ischaemia-reperfusion injury in rats. Cell Biochem Funct 2007; 25:611-8. [PMID: 16883624 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.1355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Testicular torsion is a urological emergency referred to as 'acute scrotum', because inappropriate treatment can lead to male subfertility and infertility. A possible cause of testicular damage is the ischaemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury attributed to oxygen free radicals. L-carnitine, a vitamin-like antioxidant, plays a pivotal role in the maturation of spermatozoa within the reproductive tract. The aim of the present paper was to determine the protective effect of L-carnitine on testicular I/R-induced injury. Thirty-two male rats were divided into 4 groups (n = 8). Testicular torsion was created by rotating the right testis 720 degrees in a clockwise direction. Group 1: sham-operated control; group 2: ischaemia; group 3: I/R; group 4: ischaemia-L-carnitine treatment-reperfusion group. L-carnitine (500 mg kg(-1), intraperitoneally) was administered before 30 min of detorsion in Group 4. After torsion (5 h) and detorsion (5 h), bilateral orchidectomy was performed. The malondialdehyde (MDA) level was evaluated in testes. Histopathologically, Johnsen's spermatogenesis criteria and mean seminiferous tubule diameter (MSTD) measurements were used. Testicular MDA levels were higher in the torsion group compared to the sham-control group (p < 0.05). Detorsion (reperfusion) caused a further increase in MDA levels (p < 0.05). Pretreatment with L-carnitine prevented a further increase in MDA levels (p < 0.05). Histologically, torsion caused some separation among germinal cells in the seminiferous tubules, which became much more prominent in the I/R group but was attenuated with L-carnitine pretreatment. In conclusion, L-carnitine pretreatment may have a protective effect in experimental testicular torsion-detorsion model in rats by its well-known antioxidant potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dikmen Dokmeci
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey.
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