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Cinar B, Bollwein H, Siuda M, Lautner M, Leiding C, Malama E. Impact of bull age, sperm processing, and microclimatic conditions on the viability and DNA integrity of cryopreserved bovine sperm. Reprod Fertil Dev 2024; 36:RD23219. [PMID: 38713807 DOI: 10.1071/rd23219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Context Seasonal microclimatic fluctuations can cause changes in sperm quality even in dairy bulls bred under temperate climate. These changes can vary between sires of different age and affect sperm freezability. Aims We aimed to evaluate the modulating effect of bull age and equilibration time before freezing on the seasonal pattern of sperm viability and DNA integrity post-thaw. Methods In the frame of systematic sperm quality control, we assessed the integrity of sperm plasma membrane and acrosome (PMAI) in 15,496 cryopreserved bovine batches, and the percentage of sperm with high DNA fragmentation index (%DFI) after 0h and 3h incubation at 38°C post-thaw (3h) in 3422 batches. Semen was equilibrated for 24h before freezing if collected on Monday or Wednesday and 72h if produced on Friday. We investigated the effect of season, bull age, equilibration, and temperature-humidity index (THI) on the day of semen collection on sperm traits using mixed-effects linear models. Key results PMAI and %DFI (0h and 3h) deteriorated with increasing THI. The effect of THI on %DFI was detected with a 30-day time lag. Seasonal fluctuations of sperm quality were similar between young, mature, and older sires. Prolonged equilibration did not affect PMAI but was linked to elevated %DFI (3h) in summer. Conclusions Extending equilibration from 24 to 72h is compatible with commercial standards of bovine sperm quality post-thaw; however, it could interfere with the seasonal pattern of the latter. Implications Systematic monitoring of bovine sperm quality enables the prompt detection of stress factors related to microclimate and semen processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burcu Cinar
- Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Heinrich Bollwein
- Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Mathias Siuda
- Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Lautner
- Besamungsverein Neustadt a.d. Aisch e.V., Karl-Eibl-Straße 17-27, Neustadt a.d. Aisch 91413, Germany
| | - Claus Leiding
- Besamungsverein Neustadt a.d. Aisch e.V., Karl-Eibl-Straße 17-27, Neustadt a.d. Aisch 91413, Germany
| | - Eleni Malama
- Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
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Avdatek F, Güngör Ş, Gülhan MF, İnanç ME, Olğaç KT, Denk B, Yeni D, Taşdemir U. Cryopreservation of ram semen: baicalein efficiency on oxidative stress, chromatin integrity, viability and motility post thaw. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1394273. [PMID: 38645646 PMCID: PMC11027560 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1394273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Baicalein (B) has potential antioxidant properties, but it has not been tested as a ram semen extender. This study aimed to assess the impact of B on various sperm parameters and determine its potential influence on semen quality after the freeze-thawing process. During the breeding season, ejaculates were obtained from four rams with the aid of an artificial vagina. The collected mixed semen samples were divided into four groups: control (C; 0), B0.5 (0.5 mM), B1 (1 mM), and B2 (2 mM). After semen extension, the samples were loaded into 0.25 mL straws and stored for 2 h at 4°C prior to freezing in liquid nitrogen vapor and thawed in a water bath at 37°C. Among the groups, B0.5 demonstrated the highest progressive motility results, while B1 and B2 exhibited reduced motility (p < 0.05). In terms of high mitochondrial membrane potential, plasma membrane and acrosome integrity, and viability, B0.5 showed significantly superior outcomes to the other B groups (p < 0.05), although it was not significantly better than C. B1 displayed the highest plasma membrane integrity levels (p < 0.05). Notably, B2 displayed the lowest total antioxidant status levels among the groups (p < 0.05). The findings of this study suggested that the in vitro spermatological characteristics of ram spermatozoa such as progressive motility and chromatin integrity can be protected from the freeze-thawing process by using the 0.5 mM dose of baicalein as a semen extender. The treatment of sperm freezing might benefit from further in-depth research on the role of B in the improvement of cryoinjury and its underlying processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatih Avdatek
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye
| | - Şükrü Güngör
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Türkiye
| | - Mehmet Fuat Gülhan
- Technical Sciences Vocational School, Department of Aromatic Plants, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Türkiye
| | - Muhammed Enes İnanç
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Türkiye
| | - Kemal Tuna Olğaç
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Ankara University, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Barış Denk
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye
| | - Deniz Yeni
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye
| | - Umut Taşdemir
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Türkiye
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3
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Egyptien S, Dewals B, Ectors F, Brutinel F, Ponthier J, Deleuze S. Validation of Calcein Violet as a New Marker of Semen Membrane Integrity in Domestic Animals. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1874. [PMID: 37578748 PMCID: PMC10252073 DOI: 10.3390/ani13111874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Many fluorochromes routinely used in semen quality analysis emit in the green and red channels, limiting their possible combination for multiple parameter analysis. The use of fluorophores emitting in different light channels broadens the possibilities of combination to expand the range of simultaneously evaluated criteria. This is of great interest in cases of small ejaculated volumes, such as those naturally occurring in roosters, small dog breeds and drones (Apis mellifera). The purpose of this experiment is to establish Calcein Violet (CaV), a blue fluorochrome, as a marker of viability and acrosomal integrity in domestic animals in order to free the red and green channels. SYBR®14/Propidium Iodide (PI) was used as reference dye, heat-treated samples as negative controls, serial staining combination for validation and epifluorescence microscopy for observation. Dead spermatozoa marked in red with PI showed no blue fluorescence either from the head or the tail. Live spermatozoa showed a decreasing blue emission from head to tail when single stained with CaV. Unreacted acrosomes showed intense blue fluorescence irrespective of plasma membrane integrity. This needs to be further confirmed for species with small and difficult to observe heads. Establishment of CaV as a marker of membrane integrity by fluorescence microscopy is a decisive first step towards further technical development and use with flow cytometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Egyptien
- Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals and Health Research Unit (FARAH), Comparative Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Avenue de Cureghem 1, 4000 Liège, Belgium (J.P.)
| | - Benjamin Dewals
- FARAH, Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Avenue de Cureghem 1, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Fabien Ectors
- FARAH, Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Avenue de Cureghem 1, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Flore Brutinel
- Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals and Health Research Unit (FARAH), Comparative Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Avenue de Cureghem 1, 4000 Liège, Belgium (J.P.)
| | - Jérôme Ponthier
- Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals and Health Research Unit (FARAH), Comparative Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Avenue de Cureghem 1, 4000 Liège, Belgium (J.P.)
| | - Stéfan Deleuze
- Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals and Health Research Unit (FARAH), Comparative Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Avenue de Cureghem 1, 4000 Liège, Belgium (J.P.)
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4
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Pausch H, Mapel XM. Review: Genetic mutations affecting bull fertility. Animal 2023; 17 Suppl 1:100742. [PMID: 37567657 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cattle are a well-suited "model organism" to study the genetic underpinnings of variation in male reproductive performance. The adoption of artificial insemination and genomic prediction in many cattle breeds provide access to microarray-derived genotypes and repeated measurements for semen quality and insemination success in several thousand bulls. Similar-sized mapping cohorts with phenotypes for male fertility are not available for most other species precluding powerful association testing. The repeated measurements of the artificial insemination bulls' semen quality enable the differentiation between transient and biologically relevant trait fluctuations, and thus, are an ideal source of phenotypes for variance components estimation and genome-wide association testing. Genome-wide case-control association testing involving bulls with either aberrant sperm quality or low insemination success revealed several causal recessive loss-of-function alleles underpinning monogenic reproductive disorders. These variants are routinely monitored with customised genotyping arrays in the male selection candidates to avoid the use of subfertile or infertile bulls for artificial insemination and natural service. Genome-wide association studies with quantitative measurements of semen quality and insemination success revealed quantitative trait loci for male fertility, but the underlying causal variants remain largely unknown. Moreover, these loci explain only a small part of the heritability of male fertility. Integrating genome-wide association studies with gene expression and other omics data from male reproductive tissues is required for the fine-mapping of candidate causal variants underlying variation in male reproductive performance in cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hubert Pausch
- Animal Genomics, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Universitaetstrasse 2, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Xena Marie Mapel
- Animal Genomics, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Universitaetstrasse 2, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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5
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Bollwein H, Malama E. Review: Evaluation of bull fertility. Functional and molecular approaches. Animal 2023; 17 Suppl 1:100795. [PMID: 37567681 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
With the term "assisted reproduction technologies" in modern cattle farming, one could imply the collection of techniques that aim at the optimal use of bovine gametes to produce animals of high genetic value in a time- and cost-efficient manner. The accurate characterisation of sperm quality plays a critical role for the efficiency of several assisted reproduction-related procedures, such as sperm processing, in vitro embryo production and artificial insemination. Bull fertility is ultimately a collective projection of the ability of a series of ejaculates to endure sperm processing stress, and achieve fertilisation of the oocyte and production of a viable and well-developing embryo. In this concept, the assessment of sperm functional and molecular characteristics is key to bull fertility diagnostics and prognostics. Among others, functional features linked to sperm plasma membrane, acrosome and DNA integrity are usually assessed as a measure of the ability of sperm to express the phenotypes that will allow them to maintain their homeostasis and orchestrate-in a strict temporal manner-the course of events that will enable the delivery of their genetic content to the oocyte upon fertilisation. Nevertheless, measures of sperm functionality are not always adequate indicators of bull fertility. Nowadays, advancements in the field of molecular biology have facilitated the profiling of several biomolecules in male gametes. The molecular profiling of bovine sperm offers a deeper insight into the mechanisms underlying sperm physiology and, thus, can reveal novel candidate markers for bull fertility prognosis. In this review, the importance of three organelles (the nucleus, the plasma membrane and the acrosome) for the characterisation of sperm fertilising capacity and bull fertility is discussed at functional and molecular levels. In particular, information about sperm head morphometry, chromatin structure, viability as well as the ability of sperm to capacitate and undergo the acrosome reaction are presented in relation to the cryotolerance of male gametes and bull fertility. Finally, major spermatozoal coding and non-coding RNAs, and proteins that are involved in the above-mentioned aspects of sperm functionality are also summarised.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Bollwein
- Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Department for Farm Animals, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - E Malama
- Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Department for Farm Animals, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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Pytlík J, Ducháček J, Codl R, Georgijevič Savvulidi F, Vrhel M, Stádník L. Effect of Different Equilibration Times and Freezing Rates on Bull Spermatozoa Cryotolerance. ACTA UNIVERSITATIS AGRICULTURAE ET SILVICULTURAE MENDELIANAE BRUNENSIS 2023. [DOI: 10.11118/actaun.2023.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
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Maside C, Recuero S, Salas-Huetos A, Ribas-Maynou J, Yeste M. Animal board invited review: An update on the methods for semen quality evaluation in swine - from farm to the lab. Animal 2023; 17:100720. [PMID: 36801527 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Pig breeding is mainly conducted through artificial insemination with liquid-stored semen. It is, therefore, crucial to ensure that sperm quality is over the standard thresholds, as reduced sperm motility, morphology or plasma membrane integrity are associated with reduced farrowing rates and litter sizes. This work aims to summarise the methods utilised in farms and research laboratories to evaluate sperm quality in pigs. The conventional spermiogram consists in the assessment of sperm concentration, motility and morphology, which are the most estimated variables in farms. Yet, while the determination of these sperm parameters is enough for farms to prepare seminal doses, other tests, usually carried out in specialised laboratories, may be required when boar studs exhibit a decreased reproductive performance. These methods include the evaluation of functional sperm parameters, such as plasma membrane integrity and fluidity, intracellular levels of calcium and reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial activity, and acrosome integrity, using fluorescent probes and flow cytometry. Furthermore, sperm chromatin condensation and DNA integrity, despite not being routinely assessed, may also help determine the causes of reduced fertilising capacity. Sperm DNA integrity can be evaluated through direct (Comet, transferase deoxynucleotide nick end labelling (TUNEL) and its in situ nick variant) or indirect tests (Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay, Sperm Chromatin Dispersion Test), whereas chromatin condensation can be determined with Chromomycin A3. Considering the high degree of chromatin packaging in pig sperm, which only have protamine 1, growing evidence suggests that complete decondensation of that chromatin is needed before DNA fragmentation through TUNEL or Comet can be examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Maside
- Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain; Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Sandra Recuero
- Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain; Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Albert Salas-Huetos
- Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain; Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain; Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, United States; Consorcio CIBER, M.P., Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), ES-28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jordi Ribas-Maynou
- Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain; Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain; Institute for Biogenesis Research, Department of Anatomy, Biochemistry and Physiology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, United States
| | - Marc Yeste
- Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain; Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain; Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), ES-08010 Barcelona, Spain.
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8
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Low-density lipoprotein supplementation improves the quality of Holstein bulls' insemination doses. CZECH JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE 2023. [DOI: 10.17221/223/2022-cjas] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
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9
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Štiavnická M, Hošek P, Abril-Parreño L, Kenny DA, Lonergan P, Fair S. Membrane remodulation and hyperactivation are impaired in frozen-thawed sperm of low-fertility bulls. Theriogenology 2023; 195:115-121. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Investigation of Changes in Spermatozoon Characteristics, Chromatin Structure, and Antioxidant/Oxidant Parameters after Freeze-Thawing of Hesperidin (Vitamin P) Doses Added to Ram Semen. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12111780. [PMID: 36362935 PMCID: PMC9698249 DOI: 10.3390/life12111780] [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: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
We conducted this study to determine the potential cryopreservative effects of different hesperidin (vitamin P; H) doses on ram semen after freeze-thawing. Semen samples were obtained from Sönmez rams using an artificial vagina. The samples were divided into six groups: control, 10, 50, 100, 250, and 500 µg/mL H (C, H10, H50, H100, H250, and H500, respectively). At the end of the study, sperm motility and kinetic parameters, acrosome integrity (AI), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), viability, lipid peroxidation levels (LPL), chromatin damage, oxidant parameters, and antioxidant parameters were assayed. None of the doses of H added to the semen extender showed any enhancing effects on progressive motility compared to C (p > 0.05). In fact, H500 had negative effects (p < 0.05). Moreover, AI was the highest at the H10 dose, while LPL values were the lowest at the same dose (p < 0.05). The doses of H10 and H50 added to the Tris extender medium showed positive effects on sperm cell chromatin damage. Consequently, we can say that H doses used in this study are not effective on semen progressive motility, but the H10 dose is effective on AI and chromatin damage by reducing LPL.
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Gonzalez-Castro RA, Peña FJ, Herickhoff LA. Validation of a new multiparametric protocol to assess viability, acrosome integrity and mitochondrial activity in cooled and frozen thawed boar spermatozoa. CYTOMETRY. PART B, CLINICAL CYTOMETRY 2022; 102:400-408. [PMID: 35099118 DOI: 10.1002/cyto.b.22058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Motility, morphology, membrane integrity and DNA fragmentation are sperm characteristics routinely used to assess quality of boar spermatozoa. However, the evaluation of individual parameters has intrinsic restrictions in the estimation of potential fertility. Therefore, we aimed to validate a new multiparametric protocol to assess fertility potential through the evaluation of viability, acrosome integrity and mitochondrial activity within the same sperm population for cooled and frozen-thawed boar spermatozoa. METHOD Three multicolor protocols to assess viability, acrosome integrity and/or mitochondrial activity were compared for agreement containing two dyes (HM-panel; Hoechst 33342, MitoTracker™ Deep Red), three dyes (3-panel; SYBR®14, propidium iodide and lectin PNA-Alexa™ 647) or four dyes (4-panel; Hoechst 33342, lectin PNA-Alexa™ 488, propidium iodide and MitoTracker™ Deep Red). Cooled (n = 132) and frozen-thawed (n = 254) samples of boar spermatozoa were assessed by flow cytometry. RESULTS 4-Panel enabled the detection of several sperm subpopulations based on plasma membrane integrity, acrosome status and mitochondrial activity in cooled and frozen-thawed spermatozoa. No significant differences were observed between 3-panel and 4-panel for the percentage of live, live-acrosome intact, and dead-acrosome reacted spermatozoa. However, the percentage of acrosome-intact spermatozoa was significantly higher in cooled samples when stained by 3-panel than 4-panel. Percentages of sperm parameters between protocols were strongly correlated, and agreement analysis demonstrated that both assays resulted in similar values for both sperm sample type. CONCLUSION Our results indicate that a four-color protocol is a practical, simple and reliable procedure to simultaneously evaluate boar sperm viability, acrosome integrity and mitochondrial activity under clinical conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raul A Gonzalez-Castro
- Membrane Protective Technologies Inc., Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
- Deparment of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Fernando J Peña
- Department of Animal Medicine, Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Extremadura, Caceres, Spain
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12
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İnanç ME, Güngör Ş, Avdatek F, Yeni D, Gülhan MF, Olğaç KT, Denk B, Taşdemir U. Thymoquinone improves motility, plasma membrane integrity and
DNA
integrity of frozen–thawed ram semen. Andrologia 2022; 54:e14547. [DOI: 10.1111/and.14547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Muhammed Enes İnanç
- Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Burdur Turkey
| | - Şükrü Güngör
- Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Burdur Turkey
| | - Fatih Avdatek
- Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Afyon Kocatepe University Afyonkarahisar Turkey
| | - Deniz Yeni
- Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Afyon Kocatepe University Afyonkarahisar Turkey
| | - Mehmet Fuat Gülhan
- Department of Medicinal Aromatic Plants, Technical Sciences Vocational School Aksaray University Aksaray Turkey
| | - Kemal Tuna Olğaç
- Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Ankara University Ankara Turkey
| | - Barış Denk
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Afyon Kocatepe University Afyonkarahisar Turkey
| | - Umut Taşdemir
- Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Aksaray University Aksaray Turkey
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13
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Štiavnická M, Chaulot-Talmon A, Perrier JP, Hošek P, Kenny DA, Lonergan P, Kiefer H, Fair S. Sperm DNA methylation patterns at discrete CpGs and genes involved in embryonic development are related to bull fertility. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:379. [PMID: 35585482 PMCID: PMC9118845 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08614-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Despite a multifactorial approach being taken for the evaluation of bull semen quality in many animal breeding centres worldwide, reliable prediction of bull fertility is still a challenge. Recently, attention has turned to molecular mechanisms, which could uncover potential biomarkers of fertility. One of these mechanisms is DNA methylation, which together with other epigenetic mechanisms is essential for the fertilising sperm to drive normal embryo development and establish a viable pregnancy. In this study, we hypothesised that bull sperm DNA methylation patterns are related to bull fertility. We therefore investigated DNA methylation patterns from bulls used in artificial insemination with contrasting fertility scores. Results The DNA methylation patterns were obtained by reduced representative bisulphite sequencing from 10 high-fertility bulls and 10 low-fertility bulls, having average fertility scores of − 6.6 and + 6.5%, respectively (mean of the population was zero). Hierarchical clustering analysis did not distinguish bulls based on fertility but did highlight individual differences. Despite this, using stringent criteria (DNA methylation difference ≥ 35% and a q-value < 0.001), we identified 661 differently methylated cytosines (DMCs). DMCs were preferentially located in intergenic regions, introns, gene downstream regions, repetitive elements, open sea, shores and shelves of CpG islands. We also identified 10 differently methylated regions, covered by 7 unique genes (SFRP1, STXBP4, BCR, PSMG4, ARSG, ATP11A, RXRA), which are involved in spermatogenesis and early embryonic development. Conclusion This study demonstrated that at specific CpG sites, sperm DNA methylation status is related to bull fertility, and identified seven differently methylated genes in sperm of subfertile bulls that may lead to altered gene expression and potentially influence embryo development. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08614-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriama Štiavnická
- Department of Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Biomaterials Research Cluster, Bernal Institute, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
| | - Aurélie Chaulot-Talmon
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Jean-Philippe Perrier
- Department of Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Biomaterials Research Cluster, Bernal Institute, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Petr Hošek
- Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - David A Kenny
- Animal and Bioscience Research Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Meath, Ireland
| | - Patrick Lonergan
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Hélène Kiefer
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Sean Fair
- Department of Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Biomaterials Research Cluster, Bernal Institute, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
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Câmara DR, Ibanescu I, Siuda M, Bollwein H. Mitoquinone does not improve sperm cryo-resistance in bulls. Reprod Domest Anim 2021; 57:10-18. [PMID: 34626138 PMCID: PMC9298030 DOI: 10.1111/rda.14024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative stress is associated with impaired post‐thaw sperm quality. As mitochondria are the main source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in sperm, the goal of this study was to evaluate effects of the mitochondria‐targeting antioxidant Mitoquinone (MitoQ) during cryopreservation of bull sperm. Semen was collected from 11 Simmental bulls (two ejaculates per bull) and diluted in Triladyl® supplemented with various concentrations of MitoQ (0, 0.2, 2, and 20 nM) to a final concentration of 65 × 106 sperm/ml. After thawing (0 and 3 hr), we assessed the following sperm traits: sperm motility by computer‐assisted sperm analysis (CASA), DNA fragmentation index by SCSA® and plasma and acrosome membrane integrity, intracellular calcium concentration, esterase activity, mitochondrial membrane potential and synthesis of ROS using two multicolour flow cytometric assays. After 3 hr of incubation, 20 nM MitoQ increased (p < .05) sperm ROS synthesis compared to Control, whereas none of the other quality parameters were altered (p > .05). Therefore, we concluded that addition of MitoQ to semen extender before cryopreservation of bull sperm was unable to improve post‐thaw sperm quality. Furthermore, 20 nM of MitoQ increased frozen‐thawed sperm ROS synthesis, without apparent negative effects on the evaluated sperm traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diogo Ribeiro Câmara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Alagoas, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Iulian Ibanescu
- Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mathias Siuda
- Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Heinrich Bollwein
- Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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15
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İnanç ME, Güngör Ş, Gül E, Uslu BA, Ata A. Gallic acid improves the viability and mitochondrial membrane potential of post-thawed goat buck semen. Acta Vet Hung 2021; 69:291-297. [PMID: 34570722 DOI: 10.1556/004.2021.00038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the effects of gallic acid (GA) on frozen-thawed goat spermatozoa. Four Honamli goat bucks were used at their breeding season, and ejaculates were collected by an electroejaculator. Mixed semen was divided into the following four groups: control (0 mM), low (L; 1 mM), medium (M; 2 mM), and high (H; 4 mM) concentration of GA. All the groups were frozen and thawed in a water bath for spermatological evaluation. The lowest motility was observed in the control group (47.60 ± 5.70%) (P < 0.05), while the highest viability (62.45 ± 1.68%), plasma membrane and acrosome integrity (44.81 ± 4.57%), and high mitochondrial membrane potential (35.96 ± 2.50%) were observed in the low GA group (P < 0.05). Also, the lowest hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOS +) value was found in the high GA group (47.60 ± 4.82%) (P < 0.05). In conclusion, supplementing a low concentration (1 mM) of GA to the Tris-based semen extender had a positive effect on spermatological parameters after freeze-thawing of Honamli goat semen. Further studies should be continued in other species with different doses and combinations using commercial and/or homemade semen extenders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammed Enes İnanç
- 1 Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Antalya Burdur Yolu, 15030 Yakaköy, Burdur, Turkey
| | - Şükrü Güngör
- 1 Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Antalya Burdur Yolu, 15030 Yakaköy, Burdur, Turkey
| | - Emir Gül
- 2 Veterinarian in Gaziantep, Turkey
| | - Barış Atalay Uslu
- 1 Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Antalya Burdur Yolu, 15030 Yakaköy, Burdur, Turkey
| | - Ayhan Ata
- 1 Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Antalya Burdur Yolu, 15030 Yakaköy, Burdur, Turkey
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16
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Hiltpold M, Kadri NK, Janett F, Witschi U, Schmitz-Hsu F, Pausch H. Autosomal recessive loci contribute significantly to quantitative variation of male fertility in a dairy cattle population. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:225. [PMID: 33784962 PMCID: PMC8010996 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07523-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cattle are ideally suited to investigate the genetics of male fertility. Semen from individual bulls is used for thousands of artificial inseminations for which the fertilization success is monitored. Results from the breeding soundness examination and repeated observations of semen quality complement the fertility evaluation for each bull. RESULTS In a cohort of 3881 Brown Swiss bulls that had genotypes at 683,609 SNPs, we reveal four novel recessive QTL for male fertility on BTA1, 18, 25, and 26 using haplotype-based association testing. A QTL for bull fertility on BTA1 is also associated with sperm head shape anomalies. All other QTL are not associated with any of the semen quality traits investigated. We perform complementary fine-mapping approaches using publicly available transcriptomes as well as whole-genome sequencing data of 125 Brown Swiss bulls to reveal candidate causal variants. We show that missense or nonsense variants in SPATA16, VWA3A, ENSBTAG00000006717 and ENSBTAG00000019919 are in linkage disequilibrium with the QTL. Using whole-genome sequence data, we detect strong association (P = 4.83 × 10- 12) of a missense variant (p.Ile193Met) in SPATA16 with male fertility. However, non-coding variants exhibit stronger association at all QTL suggesting that variants in regulatory regions contribute to variation in bull fertility. CONCLUSION Our findings in a dairy cattle population provide evidence that recessive variants may contribute substantially to quantitative variation in male fertility in mammals. Detecting causal variants that underpin variation in male fertility remains difficult because the most strongly associated variants reside in poorly annotated non-coding regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Hiltpold
- Animal Genomics, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Eschikon 27, 8315, Lindau, Switzerland.
| | - Naveen Kumar Kadri
- Animal Genomics, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Eschikon 27, 8315, Lindau, Switzerland
| | - Fredi Janett
- Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Hubert Pausch
- Animal Genomics, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Eschikon 27, 8315, Lindau, Switzerland
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17
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Jäkel H, Scheinpflug K, Mühldorfer K, Gianluppi R, Lucca MS, Mellagi APG, Bortolozzo FP, Waberski D. In vitro performance and in vivo fertility of antibiotic-free preserved boar semen stored at 5 °C. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2021; 12:9. [PMID: 33423688 PMCID: PMC7798330 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-020-00530-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hypothermic preservation of boar semen is considered a potential method for omitting antibiotics from insemination doses, thereby contributing to the global antibiotic resistance defence strategy. The main challenges are chilling injury to spermatozoa and bacterial growth during semen storage leading to reduced fertility. OBJECTIVES To examine chilling injury and the number and type of bacteria in boar semen stored at 5 °C in the absence of antibiotics, and to assess the applicability of hypothermic semen storage under field conditions. MATERIAL AND METHODS Boar ejaculates were extended with AndroStar® Premium, stored at 17 °C with and at 5 °C without antibiotics and tested for functional sperm parameters by flow cytometry. Raw semen and extended samples were investigated bacteriologically. Fertility was evaluated after once-daily inseminations of 194 sows in a field study. RESULTS Lethal sperm damage assessed by motility and membrane integrity was low throughout storage in both experimental groups. Sublethal chilling effects based on the decrease of viable spermatozoa with low membrane fluidity were higher (P < 0.05) up until 72 h in sperm stored at 5 °C compared to 17 °C but did not differ after 144 h. After 72 h, incubation in capacitating medium for 60 min induced a similar decrease in viable sperm with high mitochondria membrane potential and low cytosolic calcium in both groups. In semen stored at 5 °C, bacteria counts were below 103 CFU/mL and the bacteria spectrum was similar to that of raw semen. In 88% of 34 boars, cooled semen fulfilled the requirements for insemination. Fertility was high and did not differ (P > 0.05) between sow groups inseminated with semen stored antibiotic-free at 5 °C and semen stored at 17 °C with antibiotics. CONCLUSION Despite subtle chilling effects and low bacterial numbers, antibiotic-free hypothermic storage of boar semen offers the possibility to reduce the use of antibiotics in pig insemination. However, strict sanitary guidelines must be maintained and further evidence of efficiency under field conditions is considered desirable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Jäkel
- Unit of Reproductive Medicine of the Clinics/Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 15, 30559, Hannover, Germany
| | - Kathi Scheinpflug
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kristin Mühldorfer
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Rafael Gianluppi
- Animal Science Department, Swine Sector, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Porto Alegre, 91540-000, Brazil
| | - Matheus Schardong Lucca
- Animal Science Department, Swine Sector, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Porto Alegre, 91540-000, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Gonçalves Mellagi
- Animal Science Department, Swine Sector, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Porto Alegre, 91540-000, Brazil
| | - Fernando Pandolfo Bortolozzo
- Animal Science Department, Swine Sector, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Porto Alegre, 91540-000, Brazil
| | - Dagmar Waberski
- Unit of Reproductive Medicine of the Clinics/Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 15, 30559, Hannover, Germany.
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18
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Keles E, Malama E, Bozukova S, Siuda M, Wyck S, Witschi U, Bauersachs S, Bollwein H. The micro-RNA content of unsorted cryopreserved bovine sperm and its relation to the fertility of sperm after sex-sorting. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:30. [PMID: 33413071 PMCID: PMC7792310 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-07280-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of sex-sorted sperm in cattle assisted reproduction is constantly increasing. However, sperm fertility can substantially differ between unsorted (conventional) and sex-sorted semen batches of the same sire. Sperm microRNAs (miRNA) have been suggested as promising biomarkers of bull fertility the last years. In this study, we hypothesized that the miRNA profile of cryopreserved conventional sperm is related to bull fertility after artificial insemination with X-bearing sperm. For this purpose, we analyzed the miRNA profile of 18 conventional sperm samples obtained from nine high- (HF) and nine low-fertility (LF) bulls that were contemporaneously used to produce conventional and sex-sorted semen batches. The annual 56-day non-return rate for each semen type (NRRconv and NRRss, respectively) was recorded for each bull. RESULTS In total, 85 miRNAs were detected. MiR-34b-3p and miR-100-5p were the two most highly expressed miRNAs with their relative abundance reaching 30% in total. MiR-10a-5p and miR-9-5p were differentially expressed in LF and HF samples (false discovery rate < 10%). The expression levels of miR-9-5p, miR-34c, miR-423-5p, miR-449a, miR-5193-5p, miR-1246, miR-2483-5p, miR-92a, miR-21-5p were significantly correlated to NRRss but not to NRRconv. Based on robust regression analysis, miR-34c, miR-7859 and miR-342 showed the highest contribution to the prediction of NRRss. CONCLUSIONS A set of miRNAs detected in conventionally produced semen batches were linked to the fertilizing potential of bovine sperm after sex-sorting. These miRNAs should be further evaluated as potential biomarkers of a sire's suitability for the production of sex-sorted sperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esin Keles
- Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Eleni Malama
- Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, 57001, Thermi, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Siyka Bozukova
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mathias Siuda
- Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Wyck
- Swissgenetics, CH-3052, Zollikofen, Switzerland
| | | | - Stefan Bauersachs
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Heinrich Bollwein
- Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
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19
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Jäkel H, Henning H, Luther AM, Rohn K, Waberski D. Assessment of chilling injury in hypothermic stored boar spermatozoa by multicolor flow cytometry. Cytometry A 2021; 99:1033-1041. [PMID: 33389786 DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.24301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Hypothermic storage of boar semen may allow antibiotic-free semen preservation but is limited due to chilling sensitivity of boar spermatozoa. Progress in this area requires sensitive tools to detect chilling injury. Therefore, multiparameter flow cytometry panels were evaluated to ascertain whether they are useful tools for identifying sublethal damage of sperm function at a single cell level, thus considering the high intrinsic sperm heterogeneity in a sample. The first fluorochrome panel consisted of Hoechst 33342 to identify DNA-containing events, Yo-Pro 1 to detect viability, merocyanine 540 to describe membrane fluidity, and PNA-Alexa Fluor™ 647 to identify acrosomic integrity. The second fluorochrome panel consisted of SiR700-DNA to identify DNA-containing events, JC-1 to characterize the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MMP), and Calbryte 630 to assess the intracellular calcium level. Extended boar semen was stored either at 17°C (control) or 5°C (chilled). It is shown that chilling increased membrane fluidity in the viable (Yo-Pro 1 negative) sperm population at 24 h (p < 0.05). At 144 h, the viable, acrosomic intact sperm population with low membrane fluidity was similar for both storage temperatures. Moreover, chilling reduced the main sperm population with high MMP, medium fluorescence for JC-1 monomer and low intracellular calcium level (p < 0.05). However, after in vitro sperm capacitation, this population did not differ between the two storage temperatures. Exemplary computational data visualization in t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) maps and moving radar plots revealed similar subpopulations as identified by three-dimensional stacked bar charts. In conclusion, sperm surviving an initial chilling injury withstand long-term storage and respond in a similar manner to capacitation conditions as sperm stored conventionally at 17°C. Multicolor flow cytometry is a valuable tool for detecting chilling-induced alterations of cell function in sperm subpopulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Jäkel
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine of the Clinics/Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Heiko Henning
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anne-Marie Luther
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine of the Clinics/Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Karl Rohn
- Institute for Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Dagmar Waberski
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine of the Clinics/Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
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20
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Tetrazolium Salt WST-8 as a Novel and Reliable Chromogenic Indicator for the Assessment of Boar Semen Quality. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10122293. [PMID: 33291566 PMCID: PMC7761879 DOI: 10.3390/ani10122293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Good semen quality is an essential factor for breeding success when artificial insemination is performed. However, semen quality can not fully be evaluated by merely sperm viability or motility. Standard semen quality evaluation requires costly automated computer-assisted sperm analysis or specific and laborious labeling procedures before particular parameters can be assessed by flow cytometry. In the current study, we examined whether the 2-[2-methoxy-4-nitrophenyl]-3-[4-nitrophenyl]-5-[2,4-disulfophenyl]-2H-tetrazolium (WST-8) assay, which is widely used in the cell biology field, can be applied to evaluate sperm viability, and moreover, whether the WST-8 reduction rate can correlate with multiple sperm parameters that are related to sperm quality. We demonstrated in this study that the WST-8 assay can be used as a rapid, affordable, and reliable method for the prediction of semen quality in boar. Abstract A tetrazolium salt, 2-[2-methoxy-4-nitrophenyl]-3-[4-nitrophenyl]-5-[2,4-disulfophenyl]-2H-tetrazolium (WST-8), has been used widely to determine cell viability; however, its application in the field of reproduction is still limited due to this assay merely providing information regarding cell viability. The aim of this study was to correlate the WST-8 reduction rate with various sperm quality-related parameters (i.e., sperm viability, motility, progressive motility, acrosome integrity and mitochondria integrity) in order to provide a rapid, reliable and affordable assessment for boar semen quality evaluation. Using different ratios of active/damaged sperm cells, we first validated our sample preparations by standard flow cytometry and computer-assisted sperm analysis. Further analyses demonstrated that the most efficient experimental condition for obtaining a reliable prediction model was when sperm concentration reached 300 × 106 cells/mL with the semen/cell-counting kit-8 (CCK-8®) ratio of 200/10 and incubated time of 20 min. Under this set up, the WST-8 reduction rate (differences on optic density reading value, ΔOD at 450 nm) and sperm parameters were highly correlated (p < 0.01) for all sperm parameters evaluated. In the case of limited semen samples, a minimal semen concentration at 150 × 106 cells/mL with the semen/CCK-8® ratio of 200/20 and incubation time for 30 min could still provide reliable prediction of sperm parameters using the WST-8 assay. Our data provide strong evidence for the first time that the WST-8 assay could be used to evaluate boar semen quality with great potential to be applied to different mammalian species.
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21
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Hamze JG, Sánchez JM, O’Callaghan E, McDonald M, Bermejo-Álvarez P, Romar R, Lonergan P, Jiménez-Movilla M. JUNO protein coated beads: A potential tool to predict bovine sperm fertilizing ability. Theriogenology 2020; 155:168-175. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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22
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Ibanescu I, Siuda M, Bollwein H. Motile sperm subpopulations in bull semen using different clustering approaches - Associations with flow cytometric sperm characteristics and fertility. Anim Reprod Sci 2020; 215:106329. [PMID: 32216932 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2020.106329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
There are sperm subpopulations (SPs) with different kinematic characteristics in various species, however, biological relevance of these SPs is still uncertain. The objective of the present study was to investigate associations of motile sperm SPs with sperm characteristics determined by evaluations with flow cytometry and assessment of bull fertility, using multiple approaches for sperm clustering. Semen from 24 bulls was evaluated concomitantly using computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) and flow cytometry before freezing and after thawing. Motile SPs were determined utilizing two acknowledged clustering methods (TwoStep and K-Means) and one customized method. With the customized method, there was utilization of mean values of sperm velocity and linearity as thresholds for direct assignment of motile spermatozoa into four SPs. Regardless of approach for identifying SPs, sperm quality, as determined using flow cytometry, was correlated particularly with the subpopulation (SP) of fast and linear spermatozoa immediately after thawing and with the SP of fast and nonlinear spermatozoa before freezing and 3 h after thawing. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between proportion of spermatozoa with fast and nonlinear movements before freezing and bull non-return to estrous rates. These results indicate that with different sperm SPs, there are different biological implications which can be evaluated to gain useful information concerning semen quality as determined using flow cytometry and fertility. Furthermore, determining SPs by assigning motile spermatozoa into clusters based on a combination of "below and "above" threshold values for sperm velocity and linearity might be considered a practical alternative to otherwise intricate clustering procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iulian Ibanescu
- Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland; Besamungsverein Neustadt a. d. Aisch e.V., Karl-Eibl-Strasse 23, 91413, Neustadt an der Aisch, Germany.
| | - Mathias Siuda
- Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Heinrich Bollwein
- Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
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23
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Butler ML, Bormann JM, Weaber RL, Grieger DM, Rolf MM. Selection for bull fertility: a review. Transl Anim Sci 2019; 4:423-441. [PMID: 32705001 PMCID: PMC6994025 DOI: 10.1093/tas/txz174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Fertility is a critically important factor in cattle production because it directly relates to the ability to produce the offspring necessary to offset costs in production systems. Female fertility has received much attention and has been enhanced through assisted reproductive technologies, as well as genetic selection; however, improving bull fertility has been largely ignored. Improvements in bull reproductive performance are necessary to optimize the efficiency of cattle production. Selection and management to improve bull fertility not only have the potential to increase conception rates but also have the capacity to improve other economically relevant production traits. Bull fertility has reportedly been genetically correlated with traits such as average daily gain, heifer pregnancy, and calving interval. Published studies show that bull fertility traits are low to moderately heritable, indicating that improvements in bull fertility can be realized through selection. Although female fertility has continued to progress according to increasing conception rates, the reported correlation between male and female fertility is low, indicating that male fertility cannot be improved by selection for female fertility. Correlations between several bull fertility traits, such as concentration, number of spermatozoa, motility, and number of spermatozoa abnormalities, vary among studies. Using male fertility traits in selection indices would provide producers with more advanced selection tools. The objective of this review was to discuss current beef bull fertility measurements and to discuss the future of genetic evaluation of beef bull fertility and potential genetic improvement strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison L Butler
- Department of Animal Science, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
| | | | - Robert L Weaber
- Department of Animal Science, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
| | - David M Grieger
- Department of Animal Science, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
| | - Megan M Rolf
- Department of Animal Science, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
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24
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Arslan HO, Herrera C, Malama E, Siuda M, Leiding C, Bollwein H. “Effect of the addition of different catalase concentrations to a TRIS-egg yolk extender on quality and in vitro fertilization rate of frozen-thawed bull sperm’’. Cryobiology 2019; 91:40-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2019.10.200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Revised: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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