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Mateo-Otero Y. Integrating metabolomics into reproduction: Sperm metabolism and fertility enhancement in pigs. Anim Reprod Sci 2024:107539. [PMID: 38926002 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2024.107539] [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: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The last decades of research have revealed that many other factors besides gamete genomes are able to determine the reproductive outcomes. Indeed, paternal factors have been observed to be capable of modulating multiple crucial features of the reproductive process, such as sperm physiology, the maternal environment and, even, the offspring health. These recent advances have been encompassed with the emergence of OMICS technologies, as they comprehensively characterise the molecular composition of biological systems. The present narrative review aimed to take a closer look at the potential of these technologies in the field of reproductive biology. This literature revision shows that most studies up to date have followed a non-targeted approach to screen mammalian seminal plasma (SP) and sperm metabolite composition through different metabolome platforms. These studies have proposed metabolites of multiple natures as potential in vivo fertility biomarkers. Yet, targeted approaches can be used to answer specific biological question, and their power is exemplified herein. For instance, metabolomic studies have uncovered not only that glycolysis is the main ATP energy source of pig sperm, but also that sperm metabolism can trigger DNA damage, hence compromise embryo development. In conclusion, this review shows the potential of both non-targeted and targeted metabolomics for the discovery of cell pathways that govern the reproductive process. Understanding these systems could help make progress in different areas, including livestock efficient breeding, the improvement of artificial reproductive technologies, and the development of biomarkers for infertility detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yentel Mateo-Otero
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK.
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Catalán J, Yánez-Ortiz I, Martínez-Rodero I, Mateo-Otero Y, Nolis P, Yeste M, Miró J. Comparison of the metabolite profile of donkey and horse seminal plasma and its relationship with sperm viability and motility. Res Vet Sci 2023; 165:105046. [PMID: 37883856 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2023.105046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Previous research revealed that several seminal plasma (SP) metabolites are related to sperm functionality, fertility, and preservation. While it is understood that variations between species exist, whether the SP metabolome differs between donkeys and horses has not been previously investigated. The aim of this work, therefore, was to characterize and compare donkey and horse SP metabolites using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and relate them to sperm viability and motility. For this purpose, ejaculates from 18 different donkeys and 18 different horses were collected and separated into two aliquots: one for harvesting the SP by centrifugation and obtaining the metabolic profile through NMR, and the other for evaluating sperm viability and motility. Based on total motility and sperm viability, samples were classified as with good (GQ) or poor (PQ) quality. The metabolomic profile of donkey and horse SP revealed the presence of 28 metabolites, which coincided in the two species. Yet, differences between horses and donkeys were observed in the concentration of 18 of these 28 metabolites, as well as between ejaculates classified as GQ or PQ and in the relationship of metabolites with sperm motility and viability. These findings suggest that sperm from donkeys and horses differ in their metabolism and energetic requirements, and that the concentration of specific SP metabolites may be related to sperm functionality. Further research should shed light on the metabolic needs of donkey and horse sperm, and evaluate how the knowledge collected from the contribution of these metabolites can help improve semen preservation in the two species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime Catalán
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain; Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain; Unit of Animal Reproduction, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, ES-08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Iván Yánez-Ortiz
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain; Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain; Unit of Animal Reproduction, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, ES-08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Iris Martínez-Rodero
- Unit of Animal Reproduction, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, ES-08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Yentel Mateo-Otero
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain; Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Pau Nolis
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, ES-08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Marc Yeste
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain; Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain; Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), ES-08010 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Jordi Miró
- Unit of Animal Reproduction, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, ES-08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
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Cheredath A, Uppangala S, Jijo A, Lakshmi RV, Gowda GAN, Kalthur G, Adiga SK. Use of sensitivity-enhanced nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy equipped with a 1.7-mm cryogenically cooled micro-coil probe in identifying human sperm intracellular metabolites. Reprod Fertil Dev 2023; 35:661-668. [PMID: 37643634 DOI: 10.1071/rd22246] [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: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT The clinical value of human sperm metabolites has not been established due to the technical complexity in detecting these metabolites when sperm numbers are low. AIMS To detect endogenous intracellular metabolites in fresh and post-thaw human spermatozoa using 800MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy equipped with a 1.7-mm cryo-probe. METHODS Processed spermatozoa from 25 normozoospermic ejaculates were subjected to extraction of intracellular metabolites and then profiled by sensitivity-enhanced NMR spectroscopy equipped with a 1.7-mm cryogenically cooled micro-coil probe. In parallel, some of the processed sperm fractions were subjected to freeze-thawing and were then analysed for intracellular metabolites. KEY RESULTS Twenty-three metabolites were profiled from only 1.25million sperm cells. Comparison of the metabolomic signature of pre-freeze and post-thaw sperm cells did not show significant changes in the levels of metabolites. CONCLUSIONS Sensitivity-enhanced NMR spectroscopy equipped with a 1.7-mm cryogenically cooled micro-coil probe is a potential tool for identifying intracellular metabolites when sperm number is low. IMPLICATIONS Use of sensitivity-enhanced NMR spectroscopy opens up the opportunity to test for endogenous metabolites in samples with a limited number of spermatozoa, to understand the patho-physiology of infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aswathi Cheredath
- Centre of Excellence in Clinical Embryology, Department of Reproductive Science, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576 104, India
| | - Shubhashree Uppangala
- Division of Reproductive Genetics, Department of Reproductive Science, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576 104, India
| | - Ameya Jijo
- Centre of Excellence in Clinical Embryology, Department of Reproductive Science, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576 104, India
| | - R Vani Lakshmi
- Department of Data Science, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576 104, India
| | - G A Nagana Gowda
- Northwest Metabolomics Research Centre, Anaesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Guruprasad Kalthur
- Division of Reproductive Biology, Department of Reproductive Science, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576 104, India
| | - Satish Kumar Adiga
- Centre of Excellence in Clinical Embryology, Department of Reproductive Science, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576 104, India
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Li Z, Sun J, Li K, Qin J, Sun Y, Zeng J, El-Ashram S, Zhao Y. Metabolomic analysis reveals spermatozoa and seminal plasma differences between Duroc and Liang guang Small-spotted pig. Front Vet Sci 2023; 9:1078928. [PMID: 36686181 PMCID: PMC9853278 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1078928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The Liang guang Small-spotted pig is a well-known Chinese indigenous pig that is valued for its exceptional meat quality. However, the Liang guang Small-spotted pig has a lower semen storage capacity, shorter storage time and worse semen quality compared to Duroc. Pig sperm used for artificial insemination (AI) loses part of vitality and quality when being stored in commercial solutions. Serious vitality losses and short shelf life of the semen are particularly prominent in Liang guang Small-spotted pig. In this study, the metabolites in seminal plasma and spermatozoa of Duroc and Liang guang Small-spotted pigs were identified using UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS technology. The findings indicated forty distinct metabolites concentrating on energy metabolic substrates and antioxidant capacity in Liang guang Small-spotted pig and Duroc seminal plasma, including D-Fructose, succinate, 2-dehydro-3-deoxy-d-gluconate, alanine betaine, citrate, carnitine, acetylcarnitine and so on. Seventeen different metabolites were explored, with a focus on glycerophospholipid metabolism in Liang guang Small-spotted pig and Duroc spermatozoa, primarily including glycerol 3-phosphate, acetylcarnitine, phosphatidylcholine (PC) 16:0/16:0, palmitoyl sphingomyelin, acetylcholine, choline, glycerophosphocholine, betaine, L-carnitine, creatinine and others. This study reveals the metabolite profile of spermatozoa and seminal plasma among different pig breeds and might be valuable for understanding the mechanisms that lead to sperm storage capacity. Metabolites involved in energy metabolism, antioxidant capacity and glycerophospholipid metabolism might be key to the poor sperm storage capacity in Liang guang Small-spotted pig.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhili Li
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Jingshuai Sun
- College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kebiao Li
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Jiali Qin
- Guangxi Yangxiang Co., Ltd., Guigang, China
| | - Yanmei Sun
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Jianhua Zeng
- Guangdong YIHAO Food Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Yunxiang Zhao
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China,Guangxi Yangxiang Co., Ltd., Guigang, China,*Correspondence: Yunxiang Zhao ✉
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5
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Song C, Chang L, Wang B, Zhang Z, Wei Y, Dou Y, Qi K, Yang F, Li X, Li X, Wang K, Qiao R, Han X. Seminal plasma metabolomics analysis of differences in liquid preservation ability of boar sperm. J Anim Sci 2023; 101:skad392. [PMID: 38006391 PMCID: PMC10718801 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skad392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The preservation of semen is pivotal in animal reproduction to ensure successful fertilization and genetic improvement of livestock and poultry. However, investigating the underlying causes of differences in sperm liquid preservation ability and identifying relevant biomarkers remains a challenge. This study utilized liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to analyze the metabolite composition of seminal plasma (SP) from two groups with extreme differences in sperm liquid preservation ability. The two groups namely the good liquid preservation ability (GPA) and the poor preservation ability (PPA). The aim was to explore the relationship between metabolite composition in SP and sperm liquid preservation ability, and to identify candidate biomarkers associated with this ability of sperm. The results revealed the identification of 756 metabolites and 70 differentially expressed metabolites (DEM) in the SP from two groups of boar semen with differing liquid preservation abilities at 17 °C. The majority of identified metabolites in the SP belonged to organic acids and derivatives as well as lipids and lipid-like molecules. The DEM in the SP primarily consisted of amino acids, peptides, and analogs. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis also demonstrated that the DEM are mainly concentrated in amino acid synthesis and metabolism-related pathways (P < 0.05). Furthermore, eleven key metabolites were identified and six target amino acids were verified, and the results were consistent with the non-targeted metabolic analysis. These findings indicated that amino acids and their associated pathways play a potential role in determining boar sperm quality and liquid preservation ability. D-proline, arginine, L-citrulline, phenylalanine, leucine, DL-proline, DL-serine, and indole may serve as potential biomarkers for early assessment of boar sperm liquid preservation ability. The findings of this study are helpful in understanding the causes and mechanisms of differences in the liquid preservation ability of boar sperm, and provide valuable insights for improving semen quality assessment methods and developing novel extenders or protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenglei Song
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Lebin Chang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Bingjie Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Zhe Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Yilin Wei
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Yaqing Dou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Kunlong Qi
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Feng Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Xiuling Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Xinjian Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Kejun Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Ruimin Qiao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Xuelei Han
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
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Extend the Survival of Human Sperm In Vitro in Non-Freezing Conditions: Damage Mechanisms, Preservation Technologies, and Clinical Applications. Cells 2022; 11:cells11182845. [PMID: 36139420 PMCID: PMC9496714 DOI: 10.3390/cells11182845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Preservation of human spermatozoa in vitro at normothermia or hypothermia maintaining their functions and fertility for several days plays a significant role in reproductive biology and medicine. However, it is well known that human spermatozoa left in vitro deteriorate over time irreversibly as the consequence of various stresses such as the change of osmolarity, energy deficiency, and oxidative damage, leading to substantial limitations including the need for semen examinations, fertility preservation, and assisted reproductive technology. These problems may be addressed with the aid of non-freezing storage techniques. The main and most effective preservation strategies are the partial or total replacement of seminal plasma with culture medium, named as extenders, and temperature-induced metabolic restriction. Semen extenders consist of buffers, osmolytes, and antioxidants, etc. to protect spermatozoa against the above-mentioned adverse factors. Extended preservation of human spermatozoa in vitro has a negative effect on sperm parameters, whereas its effect on ART outcomes remains inconsistent. The storage duration, temperature, and pre-treatment of semen should be determined according to the aims of preservation. Advanced techniques such as nanotechnology and omics have been introduced and show great potential in the lifespan extension of human sperm. It is certain that more patients will benefit from it in the near future. This review provided an overview of the current knowledge and prospects of prolonged non-freezing storage of human sperm in vitro.
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Xu B, Wang Z, Wang R, Song G, Zhang Y, Su R, Liu Y, Li J, Zhang J. Metabolomics analysis of buck semen cryopreserved with trehalose. Front Genet 2022; 13:938622. [PMID: 35991557 PMCID: PMC9386307 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.938622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Trehalose is commonly used as an impermeable cryoprotectant for cryopreservation of cells, but its cryoprotective mechanism has now not but been determined. This study investigated the cryopreservation impact of trehalose on buck semen cryopreservation and finished metabolic profiling of freeze-thawed media by way of the GC–MS-based metabolomics for the first time. Metabolic pattern recognition and metabolite identification by means of principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and metabolic pathway topology analysis revealed the results of trehalose on buck sperm metabolism at some point of cryopreservation. The results confirmed that trehalose drastically progressed sperm motility parameters and structural integrity after thawing. PCA and PLS-DA analysis discovered that the metabolic patterns of the freezing-thawing media of buck semen cryopreserved with trehalose (T group) or without trehalose (G group, Control) were certainly separated. Using screening conditions of VIP >1.5 and p vaule <0.05, a total of 48 differential metabolites have been recognized, whithin l-isoleucine, L-leucine, L-threonine, and dihydroxyacetone were notably enriched in valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis, glycerolipid metabolism, and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis pathways. In brief, trehalose can efficiently improve membrane structural integrity and motion parameters in buck sperm after thawing, and it exerts a cryoprotective impact with the aid of changing sperm amino acid synthesis and the glycerol metabolism pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingbing Xu
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Mutton Sheep Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hohhot, China
| | - Zhiying Wang
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Mutton Sheep Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hohhot, China
| | - Ruijun Wang
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Mutton Sheep Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hohhot, China
| | - Guoxin Song
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Mutton Sheep Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hohhot, China
| | - Yanjun Zhang
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Mutton Sheep Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hohhot, China
| | - Rui Su
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Mutton Sheep Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hohhot, China
| | - Yongbin Liu
- Research Center for Animal Genetic Resources of Mongolian Plateau, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Jinquan Li
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Mutton Sheep Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hohhot, China
- *Correspondence: Jinquan Li, ; Jiaxin Zhang,
| | - Jiaxin Zhang
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Mutton Sheep Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hohhot, China
- *Correspondence: Jinquan Li, ; Jiaxin Zhang,
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Zhu Z, Zhang W, Li R, Zeng W. Reducing the Glucose Level in Pre-treatment Solution Improves Post-thaw Boar Sperm Quality. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:856536. [PMID: 35433908 PMCID: PMC9009312 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.856536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Frozen–thawed boar sperm was not widely used in pig artificial insemination as the sperm quality was damaged by biochemical and physical modifications during the cryopreservation process. The aim of this study was to investigate whether reduction of the glucose level in diluted medium could protect the post-thaw boar sperm or not. Boar sperm was diluted with the pre-treatment medium with different doses of glucose (153, 122.4, 91.8, 61.2, 30.6, and 0 mM) during the cooling process. The sperm motility patterns and glycolysis were evaluated during the cooling process. Meanwhile, the post-thaw sperm quality, ATP level, mitochondrial function as well as apoptosis were also measured. It was observed that 153 mM glucose treatment showed the highest glycolysis in boar sperm as the activities of hexokinase, fructose-bisphosphate aldolase A, and lactate dehydrogenase are the highest as well as the lactate level. Reduction of the glucose level from 153 to 30.6 mM suppressed sperm glycolysis. In addition, treatment with 153 mM glucose made the sperm demonstrate a circle-like movement along with a high value of curvilinear velocity and amplitude of the lateral head, while decreasing the glucose level reduced those patterns in the cooling process. Moreover, reduction of the glucose level also significantly increased the post-thaw sperm's total motility, progressive motility, straight-linear velocity, membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity. The treatment with 30.6 mM glucose showed the highest value among the treatments. Furthermore, the post-thaw sperm's succinate dehydrogenase activity, malate dehydrogenase activity, mitochondrial membrane potential as well as ATP level were increased by reducing the glucose level from 153 to 30.6 mM. Interestingly, the treatment with 30.6 mM glucose showed the lowest apoptosis of post-thaw sperm among the treatments. Those observations suggest that reduction of the glucose level in diluted medium increased the post-thaw boar sperm quality via decreasing the glycolytic metabolism. These findings provide novel insights that reduction of boar sperm activity via decreasing sperm glycolysis during the cooling process helps to improve the post-thaw sperm quality during cryopreservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhendong Zhu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Weijing Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Rongnan Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Wenxian Zeng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- *Correspondence: Wenxian Zeng
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Mateo-Otero Y, Fernández-López P, Delgado-Bermúdez A, Nolis P, Roca J, Miró J, Barranco I, Yeste M. Metabolomic fingerprinting of pig seminal plasma identifies in vivo fertility biomarkers. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2021; 12:113. [PMID: 34772452 PMCID: PMC8588628 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-021-00636-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Metabolomic approaches, which include the study of low molecular weight molecules, are an emerging -omics technology useful for identification of biomarkers. In this field, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has already been used to uncover (in) fertility biomarkers in the seminal plasma (SP) of several mammalian species. However, NMR studies profiling the porcine SP metabolome to uncover in vivo fertility biomarkers are yet to be carried out. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the putative relationship between SP-metabolites and in vivo fertility outcomes. To this end, 24 entire ejaculates (three ejaculates per boar) were collected from artificial insemination (AI)-boars throughout a year (one ejaculate every 4 months). Immediately after collection, ejaculates were centrifuged to obtain SP-samples, which were stored for subsequent metabolomic analysis by NMR spectroscopy. Fertility outcomes from 1525 inseminations were recorded over a year, including farrowing rate, litter size, stillbirths per litter and the duration of pregnancy. Results A total of 24 metabolites were identified and quantified in all SP-samples. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that lactate levels in SP had discriminative capacity for farrowing rate (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.764) while carnitine (AUC = 0.847), hypotaurine (AUC = 0.819), sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (AUC = 0.833), glutamate (AUC = 0.799) and glucose (AUC = 0.750) showed it for litter size. Similarly, citrate (AUC = 0.743), creatine (AUC = 0.812), phenylalanine (AUC = 0.750), tyrosine (AUC = 0.753) and malonate (AUC = 0.868) levels had discriminative capacity for stillbirths per litter; and malonate (AUC = 0.767) and fumarate (AUC = 0.868) levels for gestation length. Conclusions The assessment of selected SP-metabolites in ejaculates through NMR spectroscopy could be considered as a promising non-invasive tool to predict in vivo fertility outcomes in pigs. Moreover, supplementing AI-doses with specific metabolites should also be envisaged as a way to improve their fertility potential. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40104-021-00636-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yentel Mateo-Otero
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, ES-17003, Girona, Spain.,Department of Biology, Unit of Cell Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, ES-17003, Girona, Spain
| | - Pol Fernández-López
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB), Spanish Research Council (CSIC), ES-17300, Girona, Spain
| | - Ariadna Delgado-Bermúdez
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, ES-17003, Girona, Spain.,Department of Biology, Unit of Cell Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, ES-17003, Girona, Spain
| | - Pau Nolis
- Magnetic Nuclear Resonance Facility, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, ES-08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Jordi Roca
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, ES-30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Jordi Miró
- Equine Reproduction Service, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, ES-08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Isabel Barranco
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, ES-17003, Girona, Spain. .,Department of Biology, Unit of Cell Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, ES-17003, Girona, Spain. .,Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, IT-40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Marc Yeste
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, ES-17003, Girona, Spain. .,Department of Biology, Unit of Cell Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, ES-17003, Girona, Spain.
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Measurement of Oxidative Stress Index in Seminal Plasma Can Predict In Vivo Fertility of Liquid-Stored Porcine Artificial Insemination Semen Doses. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10081203. [PMID: 34439450 PMCID: PMC8388916 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10081203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The study evaluated the relation between the oxidative stress index (OSI) in porcine seminal plasma (n = 76) with sperm resilience and in vivo fertility (farrowing rate and litter size of 3137 inseminated sows) of liquid-stored artificial insemination (AI) semen doses. The OSI was assessed as the ratio of advanced oxidation protein products to Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity, both measured using an automated analyzer. Sperm motility (computer-assisted sperm analyzer) and viability (flow cytometry) were evaluated in semen AI-doses at 0 and 72 h of storage at 17 °C. Sperm resilience was defined as the difference between storage intervals. Semen AI-doses were hierarchically clustered as having high, medium and low seminal OSI (p < 0.001) with those of low displaying higher resilience (p < 0.01). Boars were hierarchically clustered into two groups (p < 0.001) as having either positive or negative farrowing rate and litter size deviation; the negative one showing higher seminal OSI (p < 0.05). In sum, seminal OSI was negatively related to sperm motility and the in vivo fertility of liquid-stored boar semen AI-doses, with the receiver operating characteristic curve presenting seminal OSI as a good predictive biomarker of in vivo fertility of AI-boars (area under the curve: 0.815, p < 0.05).
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