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Kujoana TC, Sehlabela LD, Mabelebele M, Sebola NA. The potential significance of antioxidants in livestock reproduction: Sperm viability and cryopreservation. Anim Reprod Sci 2024; 267:107512. [PMID: 38901083 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2024.107512] [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: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Male reproductive efficiency is primarily defined by the generation of high-quality and viable sperm cells in farm animals. However, the literature shows that male fertility has declined in recent years due various factors including heat stress, which causes the development of free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) which damages sperm cells. This review aimed to examine the potential significance of antioxidants in increasing and preserving sperm quality and viability. Data used to produce this review paper came from recently published articles in peer reviewed journals. Google Scholar, Science Direct, Research Gate, Web of Science, and the Directory of Open Access Journals were used to access the data. Various studies have shown that antioxidants play acritical role in preserving the sperm quality and viability by protecting sperm cells from the potential damage from oxidative stress induced by the development of oxygen species imbalances. However, there is less information on the use of natural or synthetic antioxidants to preserve semen quality through in vivo procedures, despite its growing popularity and promising results. Hence, there is a need for researchers to explore more on this topic, especially in other livestock species than poultry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tlou Christopher Kujoana
- Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Florida 1709, South Africa.
| | - Lerato Deirdre Sehlabela
- Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Florida 1709, South Africa.
| | - Monnye Mabelebele
- Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Florida 1709, South Africa.
| | - Nthabiseng Amenda Sebola
- Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Florida 1709, South Africa.
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2
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Rosales-Nieto CA, Daigneault BW, Roberts JN, Sánchez-López R, Makela B, Pu Y, Ehrhardt R, Jabur Bittar JH, Veiga-Lopez A. Birth weight, growth indices, and seminal parameters in male offspring are resilient features to maternal pre-conceptional dietary manipulation in sheep. Domest Anim Endocrinol 2024; 88:106849. [PMID: 38608396 PMCID: PMC11156533 DOI: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2024.106849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Gestational diet manipulation can lead to inadequate fetal nutrient supply resulting in low birth weight, limited postnatal growth, and consequently, reduced reproductive performance in the progeny. However, effects of short-term maternal pre-conceptional dietary manipulation on postnatal growth and reproductive parameters of male offspring in large animals remains unexplored. To determine these consequences, female crossbred (Polypay x Dorset) sheep were allocated to three groups (n = 33/group) of dietary manipulation for 21 days prior to mating under the following conditions: (1) control at 100 % of maintenance energy requirements (40 Kcal of metabolizable energy/kg body weight [BW]), (2) undernutrition (UN) at 50 % of Control intake, and (3) overnutrition (ON) at 200 % of maintenance energy. Singleton ram lambs (UN:9; C:12; ON:6) were monitored from birth until 8 months of age, including birth weight, weekly weights, weight gain, body mass index (BMI), and circulating testosterone. After weaning, monthly scrotal circumference and subcutaneous fat depth were measured. Semen morphology and motility were evaluated at 7 and 8 months of age. Birth weight, weight gain, and BMI at birth and weaning were not significantly different among nutritional treatments. None of the pre-conceptional diets affected body weight change from weaning until 36 weeks of age, BMI, fat depth, or scrotal circumference across the experiment. A sustained rise in plasma testosterone concentrations was detected when ram lambs were, on average, 82 days old and 37 kg. Both testosterone concentrations and scrotal circumference were positively correlated to body weight regardless of treatment group. In addition, seminal parameters did not differ among treatments, but a transient increase in plasma testosterone at 18 weeks of age was observed in ON ram lambs compared to control rams. In conclusion, birth weight, growth indices, and seminal parameters in singleton rams are resilient features in the progeny upon maternal pre-conceptional dietary manipulation in sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesar A Rosales-Nieto
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA; Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, 78321, México
| | - Bradford W Daigneault
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA; Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Jennifer N Roberts
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Rodrigo Sánchez-López
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Barbara Makela
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Yong Pu
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Richard Ehrhardt
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA; Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - João H Jabur Bittar
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Almudena Veiga-Lopez
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA; Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
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García-Vázquez FA. Artificial intelligence and porcine breeding. Anim Reprod Sci 2024:107538. [PMID: 38926001 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2024.107538] [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: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Livestock management is evolving into a new era, characterized by the analysis of vast quantities of data (Big Data) collected from both traditional breeding methods and new technologies such as sensors, automated monitoring system, and advanced analytics. Artificial intelligence (A-In), which refers to the capability of machines to mimic human intelligence, including subfields like machine learning and deep learning, is playing a pivotal role in this transformation. A wide array of A-In techniques, successfully employed in various industrial and scientific contexts, are now being integrated into mainstream livestock management practices. In the case of swine breeding, while traditional methods have yielded considerable success, the increasing amount of information requires the adoption of new technologies such as A-In to drive productivity, enhance animal welfare, and reduce environmental impact. Current findings suggest that these techniques have the potential to match or exceed the performance of traditional methods, often being more scalable in terms of efficiency and sustainability within the breeding industry. This review provides insights into the application of A-In in porcine breeding, from the perspectives of both sows (including welfare and reproductive management) and boars (including semen quality and health), and explores new approaches which are already being applied in other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco A García-Vázquez
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus de Excelencia Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia 30100, Spain; Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain.
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4
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Schmaltz L, Prudhomme T, Tsikis G, Reynaud K, Mérour I, Mermillod P, Saint-Dizier M. Sperm binding to oviduct epithelial spheroids varies among males and ejaculates but not among females in pigs. Theriogenology 2024; 219:116-125. [PMID: 38428333 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.02.022] [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: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
The elimination of ejaculates and males with low fertility despite good sperm motility and morphology is crucial to maintain high pregnancy rates after artificial insemination (AI) in farm animals. The ability of sperm to survive in the female tract is particularly crucial in pigs due to the large variation in the timing between AI and ovulation and the high number of oocytes to fertilise. The objective of this study was to characterise a new in vitro model of oviduct sperm reservoir using porcine oviduct epithelial spheroids (OES) and to assess the variability in sperm binding to OES among gilts, boars and their ejaculates. Isthmic mucosa fragments were collected from gilt oviducts at a slaughterhouse, and after 48 h of culture, the OES that had spontaneously formed were sorted according to their vesicle shape and size (150-200 μm in diameter) for characterisation and sperm binding assays. The OES contained viable, cytokeratin-positive and vimentin-negative cells, of which 36.4 ± 2.0% were multiciliated. The average proportion of multiciliated cells per OES did not change among culture replicates. After co-incubation with boar fresh semen, only sperm of normal morphology were found to bind, by their head, to cilia of OES. The density of sperm bound to the OES surface increased linearly with sperm concentration. The bound sperm density on OES was used to assess the binding capacity of fresh ejaculates collected from Pietrain boars. For a given ejaculate, the bound sperm density did not vary among pools of OES female donors. The analysis of five successive ejaculates from nine boars indicated significant differences in bound sperm densities on the OES among individual boars and their ejaculates (P < 0.01). There was no correlation between the sperm bound density and sperm parameters measured by computer-assisted sperm analysis or the initial dilution of the ejaculate. In conclusion, the OES characterised in this study offered physiological conditions to study sperm binding to the isthmic reservoir and evidenced that sperm from different ejaculates and different boars vary in their ability to bind to these oviduct spheroids despite homogeneous motility and morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Théo Prudhomme
- INRAE, CNRS, Université de Tours, PRC, F-37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Guillaume Tsikis
- INRAE, CNRS, Université de Tours, PRC, F-37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Karine Reynaud
- INRAE, CNRS, Université de Tours, PRC, F-37380, Nouzilly, France
| | | | - Pascal Mermillod
- INRAE, CNRS, Université de Tours, PRC, F-37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Marie Saint-Dizier
- INRAE, CNRS, Université de Tours, PRC, F-37380, Nouzilly, France; Faculty of Sciences and Technologies, Tours University, F-37200, Tours, France.
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Soto-Heras S, Sakkas D, Miller DJ. Sperm selection by the oviduct: perspectives for male fertility and assisted reproductive technologies†. Biol Reprod 2023; 108:538-552. [PMID: 36625382 PMCID: PMC10106845 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioac224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The contribution of sperm to embryogenesis is gaining attention with up to 50% of infertility cases being attributed to a paternal factor. The traditional methods used in assisted reproductive technologies for selecting and assessing sperm quality are mainly based on motility and viability parameters. However, other sperm characteristics, including deoxyribonucleic acid integrity, have major consequences for successful live birth. In natural reproduction, sperm navigate the male and female reproductive tract to reach and fertilize the egg. During transport, sperm encounter many obstacles that dramatically reduce the number arriving at the fertilization site. In humans, the number of sperm is reduced from tens of millions in the ejaculate to hundreds in the Fallopian tube (oviduct). Whether this sperm population has higher fertilization potential is not fully understood, but several studies in animals indicate that many defective sperm do not advance to the site of fertilization. Moreover, the oviduct plays a key role in fertility by modulating sperm transport, viability, and maturation, providing sperm that are ready to fertilize at the appropriate time. Here we present evidence of sperm selection by the oviduct with emphasis on the mechanisms of selection and the sperm characteristics selected. Considering the sperm parameters that are essential for healthy embryonic development, we discuss the use of novel in vitro sperm selection methods that mimic physiological conditions. We propose that insight gained from understanding how the oviduct selects sperm can be translated to assisted reproductive technologies to yield high fertilization, embryonic development, and pregnancy rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Soto-Heras
- Department of Animal Sciences and Institute of Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | | | - David J Miller
- Department of Animal Sciences and Institute of Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
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de Andrade AFC, Balogun K, Machaty Z, Knox RV. Effects of supplemental antioxidants on in vitro fertility measures for cryopreserved boar spermatozoa. Theriogenology 2023; 200:33-42. [PMID: 36739670 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
This work aims to evaluate how supplementing a commercial freezing media with butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), or reduced glutathione (GSH), or their combination affected in-vitro measures of boar sperm after cryopreservation. One ejaculate was collected from 30 high-fertility boars in a weekly collection rotation. Samples were diluted 1:1 in an extender and cooled before overnight shipping at 17 °C to the freezing lab. On arrival, samples were split into the treatments with the following additions before cryopreservation; 1) semen without additional antioxidants (Control), 2) semen with 1 mM BHT, 3) semen with 2 mM GSH, and 4) semen with 1 mM BHT+2 mM GSH. Semen was evaluated for motility kinetics at 30, 120, and 240 min after thawing. Flow cytometry assessments were performed at 60 min after thawing. At all-time points evaluated, total and progressive motility were greater (P ≤ 0.05) in semen cryopreserved with GSH than in Control. No (P > 0.05) differences between Control and other treatment groups were observed in viability, or acrosomal and mitochondrial membrane integrity; however, the proportion of capacitated spermatozoa were reduced (by -21.17%) in semen treated with BHT + GSH compared to Control (P ≤ 0.05). In contrast, there was a higher (P ≤ 0.05, +21.18%) superoxide anion production in the Control than in the BHT + GSH. For IVF, semen cryopreserved with both antioxidants (BHT + GSH) had a negative (P < 0.05) impact on fertilization rate (-54.11%) compared to Control. However, for the blastocysts rate, there were more (+22.75%) blastocysts (P ≤ 0.05) for BHT compared to Control. These results indicate that commercial media supplemented with GSH increased motility but impaired in vitro fertilization rate. On the other hand, media supplemented with BHT improved the in vitro fertilizing ability of the frozen-thawed sperm cells. Therefore, we suggest the supplementation with 1 mM of BHT in the formula of commercial freezing media used in the present experiment.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Furugen Cesar de Andrade
- Department of Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Pirassununga, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA.
| | - Kayode Balogun
- Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Zoltan Machaty
- Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Robert Victor Knox
- Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
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Li C, Oh HJ, Liu H, Kim MK. Schisandrin B protects boar spermatozoa against oxidative damage and increases their fertilization ability during in vitro storage. Theriogenology 2023; 198:194-201. [PMID: 36592517 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.12.041] [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: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative stress due to low temperatures during in vitro preservation reduces boar spermatozoa quality. It has been proven that Schisandrin B (Sch-B) can act against oxidative stress in cells. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether the treatment with Sch-B could improve the quality of boar sperm during storage at 17 °C. Semen samples were randomly divided into four groups and added to the Beltsville Thawing Solution containing different concentrations of Sch-B (0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1 mg/L) after collection. Each group was then preserved at 17 °C and the sperm motility, membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity were detected to determine the maximum available concentration of Sch-B for sperm. The optimal concentration was set at 0.1 mg/L and was used in subsequent experiments. Sperms treated with 0 and 0.1 mg/L Sch-B were evaluated for lipid peroxidation (MDA) and fertilization ability through in vitro fertilization. Finally, the quality of blastocysts which were formed by 0 and 0.1 mg/L Sch-B-treated sperm was determined. The results showed that compared with the control, the addition of 0.1 mg/L Sch-B improved boar sperm motility, and the addition of 0.1 and 0.5 mg/L Sch-B improved sperm membrane integrity and acrosome integrity. Treatment with 0.1 mg/L Sch-B reduced the level of MDA and increased the cleavage rate, blastocyst rate, and total cell number of blastocysts compared to the rate and number in the control group. However, no significant difference was observed in the ROS levels of blastocysts between the treatment and the control groups. The expression levels of CAT, SOD2, and Bcl-2 in IVF-blastocysts formed using sperm stored for one day at 17 °C were significantly higher than those in the control blastocysts. On day 4 of storage, CAT and Bcl-2 expression were significantly higher in IVF-blastocysts formed from sperm treated with 0.1 mg/L Sch-B than that in the control blastocysts. The ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 was also significantly higher in IVF-blastocysts formed using Sch-B-treated sperm. Our findings demonstrate that treatment with Sch-B can protect boar sperm from oxidative stress during liquid preservation and can increase the fertilization ability of the sperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuang Li
- Division of Animal and Dairy Science, College of Agriculture and Life Science, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Hyun Ju Oh
- Division of Animal and Dairy Science, College of Agriculture and Life Science, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Haixing Liu
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Yanbian University, Yanji, Jilin, China
| | - Min Kyu Kim
- Division of Animal and Dairy Science, College of Agriculture and Life Science, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea; MK biotech Inc., 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, South Korea.
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Mańkowska A, Brym P, Sobiech P, Fraser L. Promoter polymorphisms in STK35 and IFT27 genes and their associations with boar sperm freezability. Theriogenology 2022; 189:199-208. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Henning H, Franz J, Batz-Schott J, Le Thi X, Waberski D. Assessment of Chilling Injury in Boar Spermatozoa by Kinematic Patterns and Competitive Sperm-Oviduct Binding In Vitro. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12060712. [PMID: 35327109 PMCID: PMC8944792 DOI: 10.3390/ani12060712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensitive detection of chilling injury in boar spermatozoa is required to evaluate novel hypothermic preservation concepts. The study’s aim was to examine whether analyses of motility patterns and sperm binding in a competitive oviduct explant assay (cOEA) sensitively detect chilling-induced alterations in sperm function. Semen samples (n = seven boars) were split into four subsamples by dilution either in Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS) or Androstar® Plus and stored at 5 °C or 17 °C. Storage temperature had a significant effect on the distribution of spermatozoa in seven major kinematic clusters. The effect size of chilling at 5 °C as estimated by Cramer’s V was higher (p < 0.05) in the BTS medium (0.21) compared to AndroStar® Plus (0.11). Spermatozoa extended in Androstar® Plus had higher relative binding capacity compared to sperm in BTS (p < 0.05). Binding indices correlated with the percentage of viable, acrosome-intact (r = 0.62) and motile spermatozoa (r = 0.72, both p < 0.001). The cluster size of sperm with slow, vigorous movement was negatively correlated with sperm-oviduct binding (r = −0.43, p < 0.05). In conclusion, the cluster analysis of sperm kinematics and competitive sperm oviduct binding in vitro present meaningful biological tests to assess novel concepts for hypothermic semen preservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko Henning
- Institute of Farm Animal Genetics, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Höltystraße 10, 31535 Neustadt am Rübenberge, Germany;
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine, Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 15, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (J.F.); (J.B.-S.); (X.L.T.)
| | - Jennifer Franz
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine, Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 15, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (J.F.); (J.B.-S.); (X.L.T.)
| | - Julia Batz-Schott
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine, Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 15, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (J.F.); (J.B.-S.); (X.L.T.)
| | - Xuyen Le Thi
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine, Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 15, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (J.F.); (J.B.-S.); (X.L.T.)
| | - Dagmar Waberski
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine, Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 15, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (J.F.); (J.B.-S.); (X.L.T.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-511-953-8524
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De Andrade A, Grossfeld R, Knox RV. In vitro effects of two different commercial freezing and thawing extenders on boar sperm quality. Anim Reprod Sci 2021; 236:106906. [PMID: 34915236 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2021.106906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate whether there were differences in viability of cryopreserved semen when using two different freezing (Minitube Cryoguard - F1 or Androstar® CryoPlus - F2) and thawing (Minitube Cryoguard Thawing solution - T1 or Androstar® Plus - T2) extenders. Ejaculates were collected, diluted (1:1), and cooled before shipping at 17 °C overnight. Samples were aliquoted in cryopreservation extender F1 or F2. Four straws from each treatment sample were thawed and diluted in T1 or T2, resulting in four treatments (F1-T1, F1-T2, F2-T1, and F2-T2). The sperm in diluted semen were evaluated for motility kinetics at 30, 180, and 360 min after thawing. The integrity assessments of the plasma and acrosomal membranes were performed at 30 and 360 min after thawing. There was no interaction between F × T × Time (P > 0.05), and no interaction between F × T (P > 0.05). The sperm progressive motility (PMOT) as time post-thawing increased was greater (P = 0.015) when dilutions occurred using F1 compared with F2 extender. Sperm thawed in T1 had a greater TMOT (P = 0.008) and PMOT (P = 0.033) at all times evaluated. The sperm plasma and acrosomal membrane integrity (AIMI) were greater (P = 0.009) when samples were preserved in F1 compared to F2 extender. The use of T2, as compared with T1 thawing extender, resulted in an enhanced integrity of the plasma and acrosomal membranes (P = 0.008). It is concluded different combinations of commercial freezing extenders and thawing solutions have effects on the quality of cryopreserved boar semen in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afc De Andrade
- Department of Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Pirassununga, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | | | - R V Knox
- Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States
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Henning HHW, Batz-Schott J, Grünther B, Le Thi X, Waberski D. Fluorescent labelling of boar spermatozoa for quantitative studies on competitive sperm-oviduct binding. Reprod Fertil Dev 2020; 31:1520-1532. [PMID: 31072452 DOI: 10.1071/rd19081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Invitro sperm-oviduct binding assays enable assessment of the capacity of spermatozoa to form a 'reservoir' in the oviduct. Competitive approaches, such as experimental set-ups that test multiple males or semen samples simultaneously on the same tissue explants, are desirable because they reduce the likelihood of bias when using material from different females. Therefore, we established a fluorescent labelling technique that allows tagging and storage of spermatozoa before competitive studies of sperm-oviduct binding invitro. Fluorescent markers were tested for reliability and compatibility with parameters of boar spermatozoa viability. The addition of seminal plasma after density gradient centrifugation was essential to counteract centrifugation stress during the labelling procedure. It was demonstrated that sperm tagged with MitoTracker Green FM or MitoTracker Red FM can be successfully used in competitive sperm-oviduct binding studies. The assay was sensitive enough to indicate subtle effects of semen storage temperature on the ability of the spermatozoa to contribute to the female sperm reservoir.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko H W Henning
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine, Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine, Bünteweg 15, 30559 Hannover, Germany; and Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 112, 3584CM Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Julia Batz-Schott
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine, Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine, Bünteweg 15, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Benita Grünther
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine, Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine, Bünteweg 15, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Xuyen Le Thi
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine, Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine, Bünteweg 15, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Dagmar Waberski
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine, Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine, Bünteweg 15, 30559 Hannover, Germany; and Corresponding author.
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Mańkowska A, Brym P, Paukszto Ł, Jastrzębski JP, Fraser L. Gene Polymorphisms in Boar Spermatozoa and Their Associations with Post-Thaw Semen Quality. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21051902. [PMID: 32164368 PMCID: PMC7084667 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21051902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic markers have been used to assess the freezability of semen. With the advancement in molecular genetic techniques, it is possible to assess the relationships between sperm functions and gene polymorphisms. In this study, variant calling analysis of RNA-Seq datasets was used to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in boar spermatozoa and to explore the associations between SNPs and post-thaw semen quality. Assessment of post-thaw sperm quality characteristics showed that 21 boars were considered as having good semen freezability (GSF), while 19 boars were classified as having poor semen freezability (PSF). Variant calling demonstrated that most of the polymorphisms (67%) detected in boar spermatozoa were at the 3’-untranslated regions (3’-UTRs). Analysis of SNP abundance in various functional gene categories showed that gene ontology (GO) terms were related to response to stress, motility, metabolism, reproduction, and embryo development. Genomic DNA was isolated from sperm samples of 40 boars. Forty SNPs were selected and genotyped, and several SNPs were significantly associated with motility and membrane integrity of frozen-thawed (FT) spermatozoa. Polymorphism in SCLT1 gene was associated with significantly higher motility and plasma membrane integrity of FT spermatozoa from boars of the GSF group compared with those of the PSF group. Likewise, polymorphisms in MAP3K20, MS4A2, and ROBO1 genes were significantly associated with reduced cryo-induced lipid peroxidation and DNA damage of FT spermatozoa from boars of the GSF group. Candidate genes with significant SNP associations, including APPL1, PLBD1, FBXO16, EML5, RAB3C, OXSR1,PRICKLE1, and MAP3K20 genes, represent potential markers for post-thaw semen quality, and they might be relevant for future improvement in the selection procedure of boars for cryopreservation. The findings of this study provide evidence indicating that polymorphisms in genes expressed in spermatozoa could be considered as factors associated with post-thaw semen quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Mańkowska
- Department of Animal Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland;
| | - Paweł Brym
- Department of Animal Genetics, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland;
| | - Łukasz Paukszto
- Department of Plant Physiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland; (Ł.P.); (J.P.J.)
| | - Jan P. Jastrzębski
- Department of Plant Physiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland; (Ł.P.); (J.P.J.)
| | - Leyland Fraser
- Department of Animal Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland;
- Correspondence:
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Daigneault BW, Rajput SK, Smith GW. Simple workflow for genome and methylation analyses of ejaculated bovine spermatozoa with low sperm input. Biotechniques 2020; 68:155-158. [PMID: 31937114 PMCID: PMC7092705 DOI: 10.2144/btn-2019-0121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
We developed a simplified workflow of gDNA extraction from ejaculated bovine sperm using a low total number of sperm and a short time frame that yields high-quality DNA suitable for downstream methylation and genome analyses. These techniques have broad implications in human biomedical sciences and agriculture, including clinical diagnoses of infertility, the identification of single-nucleotide polymorphisms and aberrant methylation patterns that can impact fertility, lower embryo development and contribute to heritable disease. The methods described here provide a reliable, simplistic approach for analyzing both the genomic and epigenomic status of whole sperm ejaculates that can be adapted for laboratory diagnostics, clinical reproductive practice and basic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradford W Daigneault
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48879, USA
| | - Sandeep K Rajput
- Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine, Lone Tree, CO 80124, USA
| | - George W Smith
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48879, USA
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Effect of Fractionated Seminal Plasma on Sperm Characteristics Following Cryopreservation of Boar Semen. ANNALS OF ANIMAL SCIENCE 2019. [DOI: 10.2478/aoas-2019-0016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effect of fractionated seminal plasma (SP) on boar sperm characteristics following cryopreservation. Gel filtration chromatography yielded two fractions: SP1 with more than 40 kDa (>40 kDa) and SP2 with less than 40 kDa (<40 kDa). The fractionated SP (SP1 and SP2), whole seminal plasma (wSP) and Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS) were used for the treatment of semen before freezing-thawing. Besides the analysis of sperm motility characteristics, plasma membrane integrity (PMI), acrosome integrity, and viability (Vybrant Apoptosis Assay) were analyzed in pre-freeze and post-thaw (PT) semen. Among the analyzed pre-freeze sperm parameters, rapid movement was markedly affected by boar and treatment. Furthermore, boar and treatment were significant sources of variations in PT semen quality. Treatment with wSP caused a marked reduction in PT semen quality compared with BTS, SP1 or SP2. Wide variations in PT acrosome integrity and viability were observed in spermatozoa treated with BTS and the fractionated SP, being significantly higher in the SP1- and SP2-treated samples. However, PT semen quality did not differ between semen samples treated with SP1 and SP2. Representative electrophoretic profiles of sperm proteins from each treatment showed quantitative and qualitative differences, indicating varying effects of the cryopreservation procedure on the sperm membrane integrity. The findings of this study indicated that the cryoprotective effects of the SP components varied among boars and that different components of the fractionated SP exerted varying effects on sperm functions following cryopreservation. It could be suggested that the variable protective protein components of either fractionated SP ameliorated alterations in the sperm membranes during cryopreservation, resulting in reduced susceptibility to cryo-damage.
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Winters RA, Hamilton DN, Bhatnagar AS, Fitzgerald R, Bovin N, Miller DJ. Porcine sperm binding to oviduct cells and glycans as supplements to traditional laboratory semen analysis. J Anim Sci 2019; 96:5265-5275. [PMID: 30252064 DOI: 10.1093/jas/sky372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate semen evaluation is necessary to maintain high reproductive efficiency but difficult to accomplish. The objective was to determine if the ability to bind oviduct cells or oviduct glycans are useful supplements to traditional semen analyses. Measuring binding to specific soluble glycans is less laborious than assessing binding to oviduct cell aggregates and more suitable for routine use. Previous work has shown that sperm binding to oviduct cells improves fertility prediction, possibly by estimating the ability of sperm to form an oviduct reservoir. The two oviduct glycan motifs, biantennary 6-sialylated N-acetyllactosamine (bi-SiaLN) and LewisX trisaccharide (LeX), that bind boar spermatozoa with high affinity and specificity were tested. Semen from 30 boars was shipped overnight for laboratory analysis and for inseminations to determine fertility (n = 3 replicates). Oviduct cell binding and traditional sperm analyses including motility and morphology were completed. Additionally, binding to soluble fluoresceinated glycans bi-SiaLN, sulfated LeX (suLeX), and the control lactosamine disaccharide (LacNAc) was measured. Inseminations were at 15 farms (>50 matings per boar) in the Midwest and farrowing data from all matings were used. Pregnancy rate (PR) and litter size (LS) were adjusted to account for different farms, number of services, number of doses inseminated, and sow parity, using the MIXED procedure in SAS 9.4. A fertility index (FI) was generated, consisting of PR × LS, to estimate boar overall fertility. Finally, the GLMSELECT procedure was used to select variables having a significant impact on PR, LS, and FI. The predictive models constructed were further analyzed using the REG procedure and accounted for 58% or more of the variation in PR, LS, and FI [PR (P < 0.001, r2 = 0.60), LS (P < 0.001, r2 = 0.58), and FI (P < 0.001, r2 = 0.63)]. The final model for PR includes oviduct cell binding as well as boar age, % distal droplets, head morphology, tail morphology, beat/cross frequency, and curvilinear velocity. The final model for LS includes boar age, % distal droplets, tail morphology, and overall morphology. Finally, the FI model included boar age, % distal droplets, head morphology, tail morphology, curvilinear velocity, and semen volume per ejaculate. Although binding to intact oviduct cells was impactful as a means to predict PR, binding to specific soluble oviduct glycans was not a useful supplement to traditional semen analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A Winters
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
| | | | | | | | - Nicolai Bovin
- Shemyakin Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, Moscow, Russia
| | - David J Miller
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
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Rempel L, Krautkramer M, Loether T, Parrish J, Miles J. Season of collection and sperm head shape impacts expression of CARHSP and FTL from motile-rich boar sperm. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aggene.2017.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Wasilewska K, Fraser L. Boar variability in sperm cryo-tolerance after cooling of semen in different long-term extenders at various temperatures. Anim Reprod Sci 2017; 185:161-173. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2017.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2017] [Revised: 08/05/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Prieto-Martínez N, Morató R, Muiño R, Hidalgo CO, Rodríguez-Gil JE, Bonet S, Yeste M. Aquaglyceroporins 3 and 7 in bull spermatozoa: identification, localisation and their relationship with sperm cryotolerance. Reprod Fertil Dev 2017; 29:1249-1259. [DOI: 10.1071/rd16077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 03/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to determine the localisation of aquaglyceroporins 3 (AQP3) and 7 (AQP7) in bull spermatozoa and their relationship with the sperm cell’s resilience to withstand cryopreservation (i.e. cryotolerance). A total of 18 bull ejaculates were cryopreserved and their sperm quality analysed before and after freeze–thawing. The presence and localisation of AQP3 and AQP7 was determined through immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry. AQP3 was found in the mid-piece and AQP7 in the mid-piece and post-acrosomal region of bull spermatozoa. Immunoblotting showed specific signal bands at 30 and 60 kDa for AQP3 and at 25 kDa for AQP7. Neither the relative abundance of AQP3 and AQP7 nor their localisation patterns was altered by cryopreservation but individual differences between bull ejaculates were found in immunoblots. In order to determine whether these individual differences were related to sperm cryotolerance, bull ejaculates were classified as having good (GFE) or poor freezability (PFE) on the basis of their sperm quality after thawing. While the relative abundance of AQP3 before cryopreservation did not differ between ejaculates with GFE and PFE, the abundance of AQP7 was higher in GFE than in PFE ejaculates. This finding was further confirmed through principal component and linear regression analyses. In conclusion, the relative abundance of AQP7 in fresh semen may be used as a marker to predict bull sperm cryotolerance.
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Gonzalez-Pena D, Knox RV, Rodriguez-Zas SL. Contribution of semen trait selection, artificial insemination technique, and semen dose to the profitability of pig production systems: A simulation study. Theriogenology 2016; 85:335-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2015.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2015] [Revised: 09/04/2015] [Accepted: 09/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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