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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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2
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Park YJ, Pang WK, Ryu DY, Song WH, Rahman MS, Pang MG. Optimized combination of multiple biomarkers to improve diagnostic accuracy in male fertility. Theriogenology 2019; 139:106-112. [PMID: 31401475 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2019.07.029] [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: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Artificial insemination is the general method of breeding for genetic improvement in offspring. However, almost half of the insemination cases fail to achieve full-term pregnancy, due to male infertility or subfertility. To maximize the success of insemination, accurate semen quality testing is required prior to insemination. Even though basic semen analyses have been used to provide preliminary information, it cannot fully identify the superior or inferior fertility bulls. Therefore, more powerful and easy to use methods for the prediction of male fertility are required, such as proteomic or microarray chips. During past decades, omics approaches have been developed and suggested the numerous fertility-related potential biomarkers. Our previous study identified the fertility related protein markers, enolase1 (ENO1), ATP synthase, H+ transporting, mitochondrial F1 complex, beta subunit (ATP5B), voltage-dependent anion channel 2 (VDAC2), phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxide (GPx4), and ubiquinol-cytochrome-c reductase complex core protein 2 (UQCRC2) in bovine spermatozoa. In the present study, we perform a marker combination assay using the western blot data of ENO1, ATP5B, VDAC2, GPx4, and UQCRC2 from 20 individual bull semen samples. And then, we identified the predictive ability of these markers for normal (non-return rate (NRR) ≥ 70%) and normal fertility (NRR<70%) in bulls. ENO1, a single protein marker, achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.86 and 90% discriminatory power between normal and below-normal fertility bulls, with 90% sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). Although no meaningful changes existed in overall accuracy (70-85%) to discriminate the normal and below-normal fertility between ENO1 single marker and combined marker panels, multiple marker combination methods using ENO1, VDAC2, GPx4, and UQCRC2 provided absolute sensitivity and NPV, with higher specificity (70%) and PPV (77%). ENO1 can be used as a fertility marker candidate, but there were limitations for providing absolute information about normal and below-normal fertility. Although the combined use of fertility-related markers cannot provide absolute accuracy, it can help in indicating below-normal fertility in bulls. These results may contribute to the maintenance cost in the animal industry, via selection of bulls with inferior fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoo-Jin Park
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, 17546, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Ki Pang
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, 17546, Republic of Korea
| | - Do-Yeal Ryu
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, 17546, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Hee Song
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, 17546, Republic of Korea
| | - Md Saidur Rahman
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, 17546, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung-Geol Pang
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, 17546, Republic of Korea.
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Al-Essawe EM, Wallgren M, Wulf M, Aurich C, Macías-García B, Sjunnesson Y, Morrell JM. Seminal plasma influences the fertilizing potential of cryopreserved stallion sperm. Theriogenology 2018; 115:99-107. [PMID: 29747159 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2018.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Seminal plasma (SP) contains proteins that may influence cryosurvival and prevent capacitation-like changes due to freezing and thawing. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of adding pooled SP from "good" (GF) or "bad" (BF) freezer stallions on sperm cells' fertilizing ability. "Good freezers" refers to stallions that usually produce ejaculates which can withstand cryopreservation, whilst "bad freezer" stallions produce ejaculates which cannot tolerate the freezing process. A heterologous zona binding assay with in vitro matured bovine oocytes was used to assess the binding ability of equine sperm cells as a possible alternative to artificial insemination trials. The effect of adding SP i) prior to cryopreservation; ii) after thawing of sperm cells selected by single layer centrifugation (SLC); iii) to capacitation medium, was evaluated. Adding SP from GF stallions prior to cryopreservation reduced the mean number of sperm cells bound to the zona pellucida (ZP) compared to control (P = 0.0003), SP-free sperm cells and group received SP from BF stallions (P ≤ 0.0001 for both). After thawing SLC-selected sperm cells treated with 5% SP showed a decrease in binding ability compared with SP-free sperm cells (P ≤ 0.0001). The binding affinity of sperm cells was higher in the group treated with SP from GF than with SP from BF stallions (P ≤ 0.05). Prolonged exposure to SP impaired the ability of stallion sperm cells to undergo capacitation and bind to ZP, regardless of the source of SP (P ≤ 0.0001). The response of equine sperm cells to SP is influenced by the ability of the sperm cells to withstand cryopreservation and is affected by the timing of exposure and the origin of SP. Customization of the protocol for individual stallions is recommended to optimize the effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Essraa M Al-Essawe
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden; Al-Nahrain University - High Institute of Infertility Diagnosis and Assisted Reproductive Technologies, Clinical Reproductive Physiology, Baghdad, Iraq.
| | - Margareta Wallgren
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Manuela Wulf
- Graf Lehndorff Institute for Equine Sciences, Vetmeduni Vienna, Austria, and Neustadt (Dosse), Germany.
| | - Christine Aurich
- Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer, Department for Small Animals and Horses, Vetmeduni Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Beatriz Macías-García
- Jesús Usón Minimally Invasive Surgery Centre (CCMIJU), Assisted Reproduction Unit, Cáceres, Spain.
| | - Ylva Sjunnesson
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Jane M Morrell
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
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Chong Y, Huang H, Liu G, Jiang X, Rong W. A single nucleotide polymorphism in the zona pellucida 3 gene is associated with the first parity litter size in Hu sheep. Anim Reprod Sci 2018; 193:26-32. [PMID: 29673916 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2018.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2017] [Revised: 03/25/2018] [Accepted: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Zona pellucida 3 (ZP3) is a primary sperm receptor and acrosome reaction inducer. As a candidate gene, the ZP3 gene has been widely studied since it has great influence on reproductive traits in farm animals. However, little is known about the association between polymorphisms of the coding region of the ZP3 gene and the first parity litter size in Hu sheep. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the ZP3 gene associated with the first parity litter size in Hu sheep. A total of 462 female Hu sheep were sampled to detect SNPs in the coding region of the ZP3 gene. Six SNPs were identified and the reliability of all estimated allele frequencies reached 0.9545 except for one locus (g.2293C > T). SNP (rs401271989) was identified as that involved in amino acid change (Ile → Leu). This amino acid was located at the beginning of a β-strand and outside of the ZP3 protein membrane, and it was most likely to be a ligand-binding site (the possibility was 0.917). At this locus, individuals with AC genotype had a larger litter size than those with CC genotype in the first parity (2.050 vs 1.727, p < 0.05). In conclusion, SNP (rs401271989) in the coding region of the ZP3 gene influences the first parity litter size in Hu sheep, and it may affect the function of ZP3 protein by impacting the secondary and tertiary protein structures. The present study demonstrates that SNP (rs401271989) could be used in marker-assisted selection of the first parity litter size in Hu sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Chong
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China.
| | - Huarong Huang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China.
| | - Guiqiong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xunping Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China.
| | - Weiheng Rong
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China.
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5
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Niżański W, Partyka A, Prochowska S. Evaluation of spermatozoal function-useful tools or just science. Reprod Domest Anim 2016; 51 Suppl 1:37-45. [PMID: 27670939 DOI: 10.1111/rda.12786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Conventional microscopic semen analysis does not provide precise information on the fertilizing potential of a male. The traditional basis for semen evaluation is that male fertility is dependent on production of a "proper" concentration/number of motile, morphologically normal spermatozoa in excess to achieve conception. Many independent studies, especially in human medicine, have demonstrated that the absolute number of spermatozoa does not accurately determine fertility, but their functional competence. Many functional tests of spermatozoa are developed over the last decades. Computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) and flow cytometry have become the gold standard for semen assessment in specialized andrology laboratories. Other functional assays, such as gamete interaction tests, provide additional information regarding the real fertilizing potential of sperm cells. From this point of view, such tests are valuable diagnostic tools in fertility disorders and may be helpful to make a decision which method of treatment to use: pharmacological therapy, intrauterine insemination, introduction of classic IVF, ICSI or exclusion from a breeding programme. The most useful gamete interaction tests include induced acrosome reaction, zona pellucida binding assay, oocyte penetration assay and hyaluronan binding assay. In recent years, andrology has entered into a new era of sophisticated OMICS methods. Genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics and proteomics brought high hopes for rapid progress in clinical diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Niżański
- Department of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland.
| | - A Partyka
- Department of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - S Prochowska
- Department of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
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6
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Kwon WS, Oh SA, Kim YJ, Rahman MS, Park YJ, Pang MG. Proteomic approaches for profiling negative fertility markers in inferior boar spermatozoa. Sci Rep 2015; 5:13821. [PMID: 26348888 PMCID: PMC4562270 DOI: 10.1038/srep13821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2015] [Accepted: 08/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to predict male fertility is of paramount importance for animal breeding industries and for human reproduction. Conventional semen analysis generally provides information on the quantitative parameters of spermatozoa, but yields no information concerning its functional competence. Proteomics have identified candidates for male fertility biomarkers, but no studies have clearly identified the relationship between the proteome and sperm fertility. Therefore, we performed a proteomic analysis to investigate small and large litter size boar spermatozoa and identify proteins related to male fertility. In this study, 20 proteins showed differential expression levels in small and large litter size groups. Nineteen of these proteins exhibited decreased expression in large litter size samples and increased expression in the small litter group. Interestingly, only one protein was highly expressed in the large litter size spermatozoa. We then identified signaling pathways associated with the differentially expressed protein markers. Glutathione S-transferase Mu3 and glutathione peroxidase 4 were related to the glutathione metabolic pathway and arginine vasopressin receptor 2 was linked to vasopressin R2/STAT. In summary, this is the first study to consider negative fertility biomarkers, and the identified proteins could potentially be used as biomarkers for the detection of inferior male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Woo-Sung Kwon
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do 456-756, Korea
| | - Shin-Ae Oh
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do 456-756, Korea
| | - Ye-Ji Kim
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do 456-756, Korea
| | - Md Saidur Rahman
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do 456-756, Korea
| | - Yoo-Jin Park
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do 456-756, Korea
| | - Myung-Geol Pang
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do 456-756, Korea
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7
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Daigneault BW, McNamara KA, Purdy PH, Krisher RL, Knox RV, Rodriguez-Zas SL, Miller DJ. Enhanced fertility prediction of cryopreserved boar spermatozoa using novel sperm function assessment. Andrology 2015; 3:558-68. [PMID: 25914302 DOI: 10.1111/andr.12035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2014] [Revised: 02/14/2015] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Due to reduced fertility, cryopreserved semen is seldom used for commercial porcine artificial insemination (AI). Predicting the fertility of individual frozen ejaculates for selection of higher quality semen prior to AI would increase overall success. Our objective was to test novel and traditional laboratory analyses to identify characteristics of cryopreserved spermatozoa that are related to boar fertility. Traditional post-thaw analyses of motility, viability, and acrosome integrity were performed on each ejaculate. In vitro fertilization, cleavage, and blastocyst development were also determined. Finally, spermatozoa-oviduct binding and competitive zona-binding assays were applied to assess sperm adhesion to these two matrices. Fertility of the same ejaculates subjected to laboratory assays was determined for each boar by multi-sire AI and defined as (i) the mean percentage of the litter sired and (ii) the mean number of piglets sired in each litter. Means of each laboratory evaluation were calculated for each boar and those values were applied to multiple linear regression analyses to determine which sperm traits could collectively estimate fertility in the simplest model. The regression model to predict the percent of litter sired by each boar was highly effective (p < 0.001, r(2) = 0.87) and included five traits; acrosome-compromised spermatozoa, percent live spermatozoa (0 and 60 min post-thaw), percent total motility, and the number of zona-bound spermatozoa. A second model to predict the number of piglets sired by boar was also effective (p < 0.05, r(2) = 0.57). These models indicate that the fertility of cryopreserved boar spermatozoa can be predicted effectively by including traditional and novel laboratory assays that consider functions of spermatozoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- B W Daigneault
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
| | - K A McNamara
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
| | - P H Purdy
- USDA-ARS-NCGRP-NAGP, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - R L Krisher
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA.,National Foundation for Fertility Research, Lone Tree, CO, USA
| | - R V Knox
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
| | - S L Rodriguez-Zas
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
| | - D J Miller
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
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8
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Tanihara F, Nakai M, Men NT, Kato N, Kaneko H, Noguchi J, Otoi T, Kikuchi K. Roles of the zona pellucida and functional exposure of the sperm-egg fusion factor 'IZUMO' during in vitro fertilization in pigs. Anim Sci J 2014; 85:395-404. [PMID: 24450993 DOI: 10.1111/asj.12164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2013] [Accepted: 10/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The zona pellucida (ZP) is considered to play important roles in the prevention of polyspermy in mammalian oocytes. However, in pigs we have shown that the presence of the ZP accelerates sperm penetration into the ooplasm during in vitro fertilization (IVF). In the present study, we investigated the effects of the ZP on sperm binding, acrosomal status, and functional exposure of IZUMO, a critical factor involved in sperm-egg fusion, during IVF in pigs. We evaluated the numbers and acrosomal statuses of sperm binding to the ZP and oolemma, and being present in the ZP and perivitelline space (PVS) using ZP-intact and ZP-free oocytes. More sperm bound to the ZP than to the oolemma. The average number of sperm present in the PVS was 0.44-0.51 per oocyte, and all sperm had lost their acrosomes. The proportion of sperm that were immunopositive for anti-IZUMO antibody was significantly higher after they were passing or had passed through the ZP. Furthermore, addition of anti-IZUMO antibody to the fertilization medium significantly inhibited the penetration of sperm into ZP-free oocytes. These results suggest that, in pigs, the ZP induces the acrosome reaction, which is associated with the functional exposure of IZUMO, resulting in completion of fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuminori Tanihara
- The United Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan; Division of Animal Sciences, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Tsukuba, Japan
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9
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Corcini C, Varela A, Santos E, Gheller S, Danieli V, Brizolara R, Elert B, Vieira A, Bongalhardo D, Lucia T. Distinct incubation for homologous in vitro spermatozoa binding on swine oocytes subjected to different storage conditions. Livest Sci 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2013.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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10
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Rahman MS, Lee JS, Kwon WS, Pang MG. Sperm proteomics: road to male fertility and contraception. Int J Endocrinol 2013; 2013:360986. [PMID: 24363670 PMCID: PMC3864079 DOI: 10.1155/2013/360986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2013] [Revised: 11/01/2013] [Accepted: 11/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Spermatozoa are highly specialized cells that can be easily obtained and purified. Mature spermatozoa are transcriptionally and translationally inactive and incapable of protein synthesis. In addition, spermatozoa contain relatively higher amounts of membrane proteins compared to other cells; therefore, they are very suitable for proteomic studies. Recently, the application of proteomic approaches such as the two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, and differential in-gel electrophoresis has identified several sperm-specific proteins. These findings have provided a further understanding of protein functions involved in different sperm processes as well as of the differentiation of normal state from an abnormal one. In addition, studies on the sperm proteome have demonstrated the importance of spermatozoal posttranslational modifications and their ability to induce physiological changes responsible for fertilization. Large-scale proteomic studies to identify hundreds to thousands of sperm proteins will ultimately result in the development of novel biomarkers that may help to detect fertility, the state of complete contraception, and beyond. Eventually, these protein biomarkers will allow for a better diagnosis of sperm dysfunctions and aid in drug development. This paper reviews the recent scientific publications available from the PubMed database to address sperm proteomics and its potential application to characterize male fertility and contraception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Saidur Rahman
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, School of Bioresource and Bioscience, Chung-Ang University, 4726 Seodong-daero, Anseong, Gyeonggi-Do 456-756, Republic of Korea
| | - June-Sub Lee
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, School of Bioresource and Bioscience, Chung-Ang University, 4726 Seodong-daero, Anseong, Gyeonggi-Do 456-756, Republic of Korea
| | - Woo-Sung Kwon
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, School of Bioresource and Bioscience, Chung-Ang University, 4726 Seodong-daero, Anseong, Gyeonggi-Do 456-756, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung-Geol Pang
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, School of Bioresource and Bioscience, Chung-Ang University, 4726 Seodong-daero, Anseong, Gyeonggi-Do 456-756, Republic of Korea
- *Myung-Geol Pang:
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11
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Park YJ, Kwon WS, Oh SA, Pang MG. Fertility-Related Proteomic Profiling Bull Spermatozoa Separated by Percoll. J Proteome Res 2012; 11:4162-8. [DOI: 10.1021/pr300248s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yoo-Jin Park
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, School of Bioresource & Bioscience, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do 456-756, Korea
| | - Woo-Sung Kwon
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, School of Bioresource & Bioscience, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do 456-756, Korea
| | - Shin-Ae Oh
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, School of Bioresource & Bioscience, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do 456-756, Korea
| | - Myung-Geol Pang
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, School of Bioresource & Bioscience, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do 456-756, Korea
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12
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Coutinho da Silva MA, Seidel GE, Squires EL, Graham JK, Carnevale EM. Effects of components of semen extenders on the binding of stallion spermatozoa to bovine or equine zonae pellucidae. Reproduction 2012; 143:577-85. [DOI: 10.1530/rep-11-0099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The effects of semen extender components on the ability of stallion sperm to bind to the zona pellucida (ZP) and the suitability of using bovine ZP for a ZP-binding assay for stallion sperm were investigated in a series of experiments. In Experiment I, binding of stallion sperm to both bovine and equine ZP was significantly increased when a skim milk-based extender (EZM) was used. In Experiment II, a threefold increase in sperm binding to ZP was observed when sperm were diluted in EZM compared with diluents, which contained no milk (TALP, LAC, and EmCare). In Experiment III, centrifuging the sperm through Percoll did not increase sperm binding to the ZP but did remove any positive effect of EZM on sperm–ZP binding. In Experiment IV, exposure of either sperm or ZP to EZM before co-incubation did not increase sperm binding to ZP. In Experiment V, sperm diluted in TALP containing skim milk, EZM, or INRA96 bound more efficiently to the ZP than sperm diluted in TALP without milk proteins. In Experiment VI, sodium caseinate, native phosphocaseinate, and caseinoglycopeptide increased sperm binding to the ZP. In conclusion, diluents containing milk or milk proteins markedly enhanced the number of sperm bound to both equine and bovine ZP.
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13
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PARK YJ, MOHAMED ESA, OH SA, YOON SJ, KWON WS, KIM HR, LEE MS, LEE K, PANG MG. Sperm Penetration Assay as an Indicator of Bull Fertility. J Reprod Dev 2012; 58:461-6. [DOI: 10.1262/jrd.11-067h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yoo-Jin PARK
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, School of Bioresource & Bioscience, Chung-Ang University, Gyeonggi-Do 456-756, Korea
| | - El-Sayed A. MOHAMED
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, School of Bioresource & Bioscience, Chung-Ang University, Gyeonggi-Do 456-756, Korea
| | - Shin-Ae OH
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, School of Bioresource & Bioscience, Chung-Ang University, Gyeonggi-Do 456-756, Korea
| | - Sung-Jae YOON
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, School of Bioresource & Bioscience, Chung-Ang University, Gyeonggi-Do 456-756, Korea
| | - Woo-Sung KWON
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, School of Bioresource & Bioscience, Chung-Ang University, Gyeonggi-Do 456-756, Korea
| | - Heung-Ruil KIM
- Dairy Cattle Improvement Center, National Agricultural Co-operative Federation, Gyeonggi-Do 412-030, Korea
| | - Myeung-Sik LEE
- National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Association, Kangwon-Do 232-950, Korea
| | - Kichoon LEE
- Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, OH 43210, USA
| | - Myung-Geol PANG
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, School of Bioresource & Bioscience, Chung-Ang University, Gyeonggi-Do 456-756, Korea
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14
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Oh SA, Park YJ, You YA, Mohamed EA, Pang MG. Capacitation status of stored boar spermatozoa is related to litter size of sows. Anim Reprod Sci 2010; 121:131-8. [PMID: 20573460 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2010.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2010] [Revised: 03/31/2010] [Accepted: 05/31/2010] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Semen parameters can be considered useful predictors of sperm fertility. The objective of this study was to address the question of whether differences in in vivo fertility after the use of different ejaculates could be predicted using sperm kinematics, capacitation status, and sperm penetration ability under commercial pig production conditions. The percentage of capacitated sperm, as assessed by chlortetracycline (CTC) staining, was positively correlated with litter size (p<0.01). Our data suggest that litter size increases in proportion to the number of capacitated spermatozoa. When all semen parameters (kinematics, sperm capacitation status, and sperm penetration ability) and litter size were included in a multiple linear regression analysis, significant associations were found between the percentage of capacitated sperm (B-type), the sperm fertility index as assessed by a sperm penetration assay (SPA), and litter size. This relationship between capacitated sperm and litter size, however, was more predictive for smaller litter groups than larger ones. We found that the percentage of B-type sperm was significantly correlated with historic average litter size. However, there was no significant correlation between the percentage of B-type sperm and historic farrowing rates. To determine the normal range for B-type sperm, the lower limits were established as 30% for small litters (<8 piglets) and 35% for large litters. The overall accuracy of the assay was 92% and 83% for small and large litters, respectively. These results indicate that capacitation status as measured by CTC staining is a useful predictor of sperm fertility, equivalent to SPA. Moreover, original capacitation status exhibited better predictive ability for small litters than for large ones. Therefore, subfertile boars can be identified primarily by capacitation status.
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Affiliation(s)
- S A Oh
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Ansung, Gyeonggi-Do, Republic of Korea
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15
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Oh SA, You YA, Park YJ, Pang MG. The sperm penetration assay predicts the litter size in pigs. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 33:604-12. [PMID: 19538520 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2605.2009.00976.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The prediction of sperm fertility is of paramount importance for breeding animals. Multiple laboratory approaches have been developed for this purpose, but they have yielded equivocal results. The objective of this study was to develop and standardize to a method for predicting fertility in vivo in boars using the in vitro penetration assay. To increase the sensitivity and reduce false-negative results of the assay, each step in the procedure was standardized and quality control was applied. Maximum penetration of hamster zona-free oocytes and immature porcine oocytes was obtained using heparin-treated sperm cells. Hamster zona-free oocytes showed a significantly higher penetration than immature porcine oocytes. To eliminate interassay variability, two frozen bull semen samples were applied. All possible variables related to the female were excluded. The SPA (sperm penetration assay using zona-free oocytes) result showed significant correlation with historic average litter size but had no significant correlation with farrowing rates. To determine the normal range for the SPA, lower limits of the sperm fertility index were established as 1.2 for the small litter sizes (<8 piglets) and 2.5 for the large litter sizes. The overall accuracy was 92 and 96% respectively, for the small and large litter sizes. Our laboratory has standardized the procedure for the SPA, resulting in greatly increased sensitivities for small and large litter sizes. The protocol increases the ability to discriminate between good and poor fertility groups and it was highly effective at ranking 24 boars by litter size into large and small litter groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin-Ae Oh
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Ansung, Gyeonggi-Do 456-756, Korea
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16
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Lovercamp KW, Safranski TJ, Fischer KA, Manandhar G, Sutovsky M, Herring W, Sutovsky P. High Resolution Light Microscopic Evaluation of Boar Semen Quality Sperm Cytoplasmic Droplet Retention in Relationship with Boar Fertility Parameters. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 53:219-28. [PMID: 17852046 DOI: 10.1080/01485010701426463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between fertility and quantitative measures of boar semen quality, including various patterns of sperm cytoplasmic droplet (CD) retention, as determined by high power differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy. A total of 116 ejaculates were collected from a nucleus herd of 18 Large White boars over an eight month period. Semen quality parameters were analyzed for each ejaculate by calculating the percentage of normal spermatozoa, spermatozoa possessing a CD in the proximal, distal, or distal midpiece reflex position, total spermatozoa with an attached cytoplasmic droplet, spermatozoa with non-CD related aberrations and total spermatozoa with abnormalities. Of the 116 ejaculates received, 71 ejaculates from 13 boars had corresponding fertility data from single-sire inseminations of multiparous sows. The fertility data included farrowing rate (FR) and total number born (TNB). The monthly FR encompassed one month before and one month after the date of semen collection. Detection of differences for fertility and semen quality parameters was performed by separating the boars into either an above-average or below-average group based on the mean FR (74.01 +/- 1.43%) or TNB (12.34 +/- 0.17) for the study. For FR, the boars in the below-average group had a significantly lower percentage of normal spermatozoa and significantly higher percentage of spermatozoa possessing distal CDs, total attached CDs and total abnormalities compared to the boars in the above-average group. Conversely, for TNB there were no significant differences between the above- and below-average groups for the semen quality parameters. These data suggest that the attached CD may negatively affect FR, but not TNB. The detection of relationships between the boar fertility parameters and the retention of the sperm CD after ejaculation, document the advantage of high power DIC microscopy in conventional semen evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- K W Lovercamp
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, 920 E. Campus Drive, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
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17
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18
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Collins ED, Flowers WL, Shanks RD, Miller DJ. Porcine sperm zona binding ability as an indicator of fertility. Anim Reprod Sci 2008; 104:69-82. [PMID: 17303353 PMCID: PMC2243185 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2007.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2006] [Accepted: 01/12/2007] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The escalated use of artificial insemination in swine has increased the importance of determining fertility of a semen sample before it is used. Multiple laboratory assays have been developed to assess fertilizing potential but they have yielded inconsistent results. This experiment sought to determine the relationship between in vitro competitive zona binding ability and in vivo fertility based on heterospermic inseminations and paternity testing. The zona pellucida binding ability and fertility of sperm from 15 boars was assessed by comparing sperm from one boar with sperm from other individual boars in a pairwise fashion using four ejaculates. The relationship of zona binding ability to the mean number of piglets sired per litter for each boar as well as historic fertility data (litter size and farrowing rate) was assessed. The in vitro competition assay consisted of labeling sperm from each boar of the pair with a different fluorophore and incubating an equal number of sperm from each boar in the same droplet with porcine oocytes. The competitive assay was highly effective in ranking boars by zona binding ability (R2=0.94). Paternity testing using microsatellite markers was used to determine the mean number of piglets sired per litter for each boar during heterospermic inseminations. The pairwise heterospermic insemination assay was effective in ranking boar fertility (R2=0.59). Using historical data from these boars, average litter size and farrowing rate were correlated (r=0.81, p<0.001). However, zona binding ability was not significantly correlated with historic farrowing rate data or historic average litter size. Boar sperm zona binding ability was also not correlated significantly with the mean number of piglets sired per litter following heterospermic insemination. But the number of piglets sired by each boar was related to a combination of zona binding ability, sperm motility, normal morphology, acrosomal integrity, and the presence of distal droplets (R2=0.70). These results suggest that zona binding ability is not an accurate predictor of fertilizing ability when used alone; however, when coupled with other sperm assessments, fertility may be predicted successfully.
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Affiliation(s)
- E D Collins
- Department of Animal Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States
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19
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Association of four new single-nucleotide polymorphisms in follicle-stimulating hormone receptor and zona pellucida glycoprotein with reproductive traits in pigs. Animal 2007; 1:1249-53. [PMID: 22444880 DOI: 10.1017/s1751731107000651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Two new single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (C1166T and G1190A) were discovered in the follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) gene and two (G261A and T302C) in the zona pellucida glycoprotein (ZP3) gene. These SNPs were genotyped in three Chinese domestic purebred sow lines (42 Small Meishan, 46 Qingping and 41 Jinhua sows) and three European purebred sow lines (225 Duroc, 195 Large White and 65 Landrace sows) by using SNP chips. Phenotypic data including the functional teat number (i.e. milk-producing teats, TN) and number of piglets born alive per litter (NBA). These traits were tested for association with the genotypes of four SNPs. The association analysis revealed genotype of G261A in the ZP3 gene was significantly (P < 0.01) associated with overall NBA and NBA at later parities (NBA2+) but not with NBA at first parity (NBA1). There was a significant (P < 0.05) difference between sows with genotype GG (14.83 ± 0.18) and AA (14.26 ± 0.09) in TN at position 261 in the ZP3 gene. No significant associations were observed for the SNPs in the FSHR gene with NBA or TN in our populations. The results showed that the new SNPs in the ZP3 gene may be an effective potential marker to be used in conjunction with traditional selection methods.
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20
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Yuan JF, Moaeen-ud-Din M, Gong YZ, Peng XL, Yang LG, Feng YP, Liu J, Hu B, Affara NA, Jafer O, Zhang SJ. Identification of mutations of zona pellucida glycoprotein (ZP3) and its association with pig reproductive traits. J Anim Breed Genet 2007; 124:144-9. [PMID: 17550356 DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0388.2007.00651.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Reproduction is a complex trait, controlled by genetic and environmental factors. Genetic improvement of this trait is important for animal breeders to improve the animal's production efficiency. Apart from genetic factors, animal production can be affected by environmental factors, i.e. the nursing ability of the sow, which is in turn affected directly by effective teat number (teats producing milk normally, TN) and number of piglets born alive (NBA). The objective of this study was to find new mutations, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the Zona Pellucida glycoprotein gene (ZP3) using Single Strand Chain Polymorphism (SSCP) and nucleotide sequencing and to investigate association between genetic variations and sow reproductive traits. We identified 13 new SNPs from exon 1, two new SNPs from intron 2, one SNP from intron 6 and a 18 bp (GCACGTGGTCCTCCTGG)-deletion/insertion from intron 2 of the ZP3 gene. Five out of these mutations were selected to genotype in five different breeds (Small Meishan, Qingping, Duroc, Landrace and Large White) and association with reproductive traits in European breeds (Duroc, Landrace and Large White). The sows with genotype AA had more 1.11 piglets NBA than of the sows with genotype AB (p < 0.05) in the 18 bp deletion/insertion of intron 2, while non-significant associations between the other mutations and reproductive traits (NBA and TN) were found.
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Affiliation(s)
- J F Yuan
- Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, HuaZhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
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21
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Abstract
Our ability to screen the structural and functional integrity of the spermatozoon in vitro has increased markedly over the past decades, but our capacity to estimate the fertility of a semen sample or of the sire from which it has been collected, especially in selected farm animal breeders, has not. The estimation of fertility is constrained by several factors (e.g. type of cell, analysis strength, sperm deposition strategies, recordings of fertility), including the fact that the ejaculate is composed of a diverse sperm population. Such cell heterogeneity is reflected not only in differences in the intactness of attributes needed for fertilisation, such as motility or morphology, but also in the relative ability of the spermatozoa to remain fertile over time, to sustain selection steps and responses to exogenous stimuli similar to those during sperm transport in the female genital tract, all of which account for innate variations in the fertilising ability among doses, ejaculates and sires. Determination of how large such a sperm population with competence for fertilisation and in-built ability to display these attributes under physiological signalling is would allow for a better estimation o f fertility, provided that th e particular s ire produces this sub-population in a repeatable manner. The value of these analyses is discussed in the present paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heriberto Rodríguez-Martínez
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Ullsväg 14C, Clinical Centre, PO Box 7054, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
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22
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Abstract
Estimating the fertility of a semen sample or of the male from where it has been collected by simple assessment of in vitro sperm characteristics is still difficult, owing to the variable correlations that laboratory results achieve with in vivo fertility. A major reason behind these variations is the fact that the ejaculate and the artificial insemination (AI)-doses it generates are composed of a diverse sperm population. Such heterogeneity is reflected both in differences of intactness of attributes needed for fertilization, such as motility or morphology, but also in the relative ability of spermatozoa to prevail fertile over time, handling and exposure to different stimuli, all of which account for innate variations in fertilizing ability among doses, ejaculates and sires. However, methods are already available to select sub-populations of intact spermatozoa which can be tested for their degree of competence for fertilization and whose estimated power is promising, allowing the elimination of cases of sub-fertility, particularly in bovine. Examples of these methods are the separation of viable spermatozoa by swim-up or discontinuous gradient centrifugation, followed by testing the ability of the selected spermatozoa to dose-response/time sustain capacitation and acrosome reaction induction. Finding how large a sperm population with non-compensated attributes for fertilization and ability to display and sustain stimuli is, perhaps by a quick screening of membrane integrity and stability by multi-parametric methods, would allow, provided the particular male produces this sub-population in a repeatable manner, for a better estimation of fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Rodríguez-Martínez
- Division of Comparative Reproduction, Obstetrics and Udder Health, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden.
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23
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Niu Y, Greube A, Ji W, Jewgenow K. The application of in vitro sperm competition test to evaluate the impact of ZP-derived peptides on fertilization capacity of cat sperm. Theriogenology 2006; 66:989-95. [PMID: 16620930 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2006.02.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2005] [Revised: 02/22/2006] [Accepted: 02/26/2006] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The present study aimed to establish a sensitive in vitro assay to assess the binding capacity of cat spermatozoa. Cat oocytes and epididymal sperm cells were isolated from gonads and cultured for in vitro fertilization. Before fertilization, the sperm cells were incubated either in 10 microM green dye Fluo-3-AM or 10 microM orange dye CellTracker Orange CMTMR (Molecular Probes), respectively. After removing the dyes by washing, sperm cells stained with each dye were added to medium drops containing oocytes in various proportions and cultured for 16 h at 37 degrees C, 5% CO(2). The oocytes were examined using fluorescence microscopy. Sperm bound to oocytes, and stained with different colors, were counted. When fresh epididymal sperm were mixed in at a specific proportion, the number of sperm bound to the zona pellucida (ZP) of oocytes reflected the proportion of differently colored sperm in the medium. This indicated that neither dye influenced the binding capacity of cat sperm. Mixing fresh and cryopreserved sperm, however, resulted in a higher number of fresh sperm bound to the oocyte surface in comparison to frozen-thawed sperm. Also, the pre-incubation of cat sperm cells with ZP derived peptide reduced the sperm binding capacity by 40%. In conclusion, the presented sperm competition assay allows assessment of fertilizing capacity of cat spermatozoa in vitro when a mixture of two different populations is used. The applied supravital fluorescence dyes do not affect motility and binding capacity of sperm cells and were clearly distinguishable under fluorescence microscopy. We demonstrate that the assay can be used to study the impact of sperm treatment, such as cryopreservation or pre-incubation in bioactive peptides, on fertilizing capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuyu Niu
- Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, PF 601103, D-10252 Berlin, Germany
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24
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Ruiz-Sánchez AL, O'donoghue R, Novak S, Dyck MK, Cosgrove JR, Dixon WT, Foxcroft GR. The predictive value of routine semen evaluation and IVF technology for determining relative boar fertility. Theriogenology 2006; 66:736-48. [PMID: 16529803 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2005.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2005] [Accepted: 12/01/2005] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Practical techniques for assessing semen quality in order to predict male fertility are still needed. The principal objective of this experiment was to evaluate routine laboratory evaluation and in vitro fertilization (IVF) techniques as predictors of relative boar fertility using a low-dose AI protocol. Nine boars were evaluated during a 6.5+/-1 mo period, beginning at 29-32 wk of age. Ejaculates were evaluated for motility, morphology and concentration, diluted to 1.5 billion sperm in 50 mL extender, and used to breed 50+/-5 gilts over the same period. On nine occasions, a specific aliquot of the ejaculate's first sperm-rich fraction was evaluated using IVF procedures. Boars differed (P<0.001) consistently for pregnancy rate (from 73 to 98%), farrowing rate (71-98%) and total born (8.8-12.0). Routine semen evaluation and IVF parameters that presented significant differences between boars, but no differences in time and no boar by time interaction, were used to correlate in vivo fertility. A multiple regression model based on routine semen evaluation parameters accounted for up to 27 and 22% of the variation of fertility index and total piglets born, respectively, whereas male pronuclear formation rate was the IVF variable that accounted for 17 and 12% of the variation in farrowing rate and fertility index, respectively. Collectively, we inferred that the use of low sperm numbers for AI, determination of pregnancy rate at Day 30, motility of extended semen after 7 and 10d, and specific IVF parameters may be useful for identifying relatively infertile boars that are not currently excluded from use in existing commercial boar studs.
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Affiliation(s)
- A L Ruiz-Sánchez
- Swine Reproduction-Development Program, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2P5
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25
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Vizcarra JA, Ford JJ. Validation of the sperm mobility assay in boars and stallions. Theriogenology 2006; 66:1091-7. [PMID: 16644000 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2006.02.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2005] [Accepted: 02/16/2006] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The sperm mobility assay used in the present study measures the rate of sperm penetration in a biologically inert cell-separation solution (Accudenz). When a sample of sperm is overlaid in a cuvette containing Accudenz, sperm penetrate the solution and absorbance of the sample can be measured with a spectrophotometer. This assay has been successfully used to select chicken and turkey semen donors. We validated this assay for semen from boars and stallions. Absorbance was measured after overlaying fresh semen from each species in prefilled cuvettes for 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 40 min. There were no significant differences when sperm were incubated in prewarmed cuvettes at 37, 39, or 41 degrees C. However, a minimum concentration of 5x10(7) viable sperm/mL was needed to evaluate the rate of sperm penetration in boars. Absorbance was half-maximal at 5.4 and 14.1 min for boar and stallion sperm, respectively. Frequency analysis suggested a normal distribution of mobility values for boar sperm. There were positive correlations between mobility values and several computer-aided sperm analysis (CASA) parameters. In addition, there was medium repeatability for multiple ejaculates from single males. We concluded that the mobility assay can be used for mammalian sperm and there seemed to be phenotypic variation among boars in mobility estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge A Vizcarra
- Texas Tech University, Animal and Food Sciences, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA.
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26
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Moore AI, Squires EL, Graham JK. Adding cholesterol to the stallion sperm plasma membrane improves cryosurvival. Cryobiology 2005; 51:241-9. [PMID: 16122725 DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2005.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2005] [Revised: 05/18/2005] [Accepted: 07/11/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Cryopreservation induces partially irreversible damage to equine sperm membranes. Part of this damage occurs due to membrane alterations induced by the membrane changing from the fluid to the gel-state as the temperature is reduced lower than the membrane transition temperature. One way to prevent this damage is to increase the membrane fluidity at low temperatures by adding cholesterol to the membrane. Different concentrations of cholesterol-loaded-cyclodextrins (CLC) were added to stallion sperm to determine the CLC concentration that optimizes cryosurvival. Higher percentages of motile sperm were maintained after thawing when 1.5 mg CLC was added to sperm from stallions whose sperm do not survive freezing well, compared to control sperm from those same stallions (67% vs. 50%; P<0.05). Addition of CLCs increased the percentages of membrane intact sperm surviving cryopreservation compared to untreated sperm for all stallions (P<0.05). The amount of cholesterol that incorporated into the membranes of the sperm cells increased in a polynomial fashion (R2=0.9978) and incorporated into all sperm membranes. In addition, there was a significant loss of cholesterol from sperm membranes after cryopreservation; however, addition of CLCs to sperm prior to cryopreservation maintained higher cholesterol levels in the sperm after freezing and thawing than untreated sperm (P<0.05). Addition of CLCs also resulted in more sperm binding to the zona pellucida of bovine oocytes after cryopreservation than control sperm (48 vs. 15; P<0.05). In conclusion, CLCs improved the percentage of post-thaw viability in equine sperm as well as increased the number of sperm that bind to zona pellucida. Addition of CLCs to stallion sperm prior to cryopreservation is a simple procedure that increases the cryosurvival of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda I Moore
- Department of Biomedical Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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27
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Abstract
In vitro semen analyses have been used for more than half a century to estimate the fertilizing potential of a semen sample. Unfortunately, none of the assays developed provide results that consistently correlate well with fertility. The reasons for this lack of consistency, due in part to the complexity of the spermatozoon itself, the collection of fertility data, and factors beyond control of the semen analyses themselves, are discussed. Different spermatozoal attributes that are necessary for a spermatozoon to fertilize an oocyte are presented and assays used to evaluate each attribute described. Although laboratory assay results do not correlate well with semen fertility, the importance of conducting laboratory assays on every semen sample used for artificial insemination or to attempt to determine causes for infertility, is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- J K Graham
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
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