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Tan M, Zhao Y, Ren L, Li C, Cai J, He B. Methionine Improves Boar Sperm Quality by Promoting Mitochondrial Translation during Liquid Storage. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:2227. [PMID: 39123753 PMCID: PMC11310967 DOI: 10.3390/ani14152227] [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: 06/30/2024] [Revised: 07/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Boar sperm quality serves as an important indicator of reproductive efficiency, playing a direct role in enhancing the output of livestock production. It has been demonstrated that mitochondrial protein translation is present in sperm and plays a crucial role in regulating sperm motility, capacitation and in vitro fertilization rate. The present study aimed to determine whether methionine supplementation enhances mitochondrial translation in boar sperm, thereby improving sperm quality. The results showed a significant elevation in the abundance of mitochondrial methionyl-tRNA formyltransferase (MTFMT), a crucial enzyme for mitochondrial protein translation, and mitochondrial DNA-encoded cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) in boar sperm exhibiting high motility. Both amino acids and methionine supplementation significantly enhanced boar sperm motility during storage. Moreover, methionine supplementation mitigates the loss of acrosomal integrity, enhances the expression of COX1, and boosts mitochondrial activity. Furthermore, the positive impact of methionine was negated in the presence of the mitochondrial translation inhibitor chloramphenicol. Together, these findings suggest that boar sperm may utilize methionine as a protein translation substrate to enhance sperm motility by stimulating mitochondrial protein translation. The supplementation of methionine may enhance the quality of boar sperm, thereby providing guidance for the optimization of diluent formulations for liquid storage and the identification of physiological regulators that regulate sperm motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiling Tan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (M.T.); (Y.Z.); (L.R.); (C.L.); (J.C.)
| | - Yuting Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (M.T.); (Y.Z.); (L.R.); (C.L.); (J.C.)
| | - Li Ren
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (M.T.); (Y.Z.); (L.R.); (C.L.); (J.C.)
| | - Chenxuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (M.T.); (Y.Z.); (L.R.); (C.L.); (J.C.)
| | - Jiangxue Cai
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (M.T.); (Y.Z.); (L.R.); (C.L.); (J.C.)
| | - Bin He
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (M.T.); (Y.Z.); (L.R.); (C.L.); (J.C.)
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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Zhao Y, Qin G, Jiang B, Huang J, He S, Peng H. Melatonin regulates mitochondrial function to alleviate ferroptosis through the MT2/Akt signaling pathway in swine testicular cells. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15215. [PMID: 38956409 PMCID: PMC11219911 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65666-1] [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: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence has shown that many environmental and toxic factors can cause testicular damage, leading to testicular ferroptosis and subsequent male reproductive disorders. Melatonin is a major hormone and plays an vital role in regulating male reproduction. However, there is a lack of research on whether Mel can alleviate testicular cell ferroptosis and its specific mechanism. In this study, the results indicated that Mel could enhance the viability of swine testis cells undergoing ferroptosis, reduce LDH enzyme release, increase mitochondrial membrane potential, and affect the expression of ferroptosis biomarkers. Furthermore, we found that melatonin depended on melatonin receptor 1B to exert these functions. Detection of MMP and ferroptosis biomarker protein expression confirmed that MT2 acted through the downstream Akt signaling pathway. Moreover, inhibition of the Akt signaling pathway can eliminate the protective effect of melatonin on ferroptosis, inhibit AMPK phosphorylation, reduce the expression of mitochondrial gated channel (VDAC2/3), and affect mitochondrial DNA transcription and ATP content. These results suggest that melatonin exerts a beneficial effect on mitochondrial function to mitigate ferroptosis through the MT2/Akt signaling pathway in ST cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanjie Zhao
- School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, Hainan, China
- College of Life and Health, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Ge Qin
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 404100, China
| | - Biao Jiang
- School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, Hainan, China
| | - Jinglei Huang
- School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, Hainan, China
| | - Shiwen He
- School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, Hainan, China
| | - Hui Peng
- School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, Hainan, China.
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3
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Wang S, Zeng X, Liu S, Hoque SAM, Min L, Ding N, Zhu Z. Vibration Emissions Reduce Boar Sperm Quality via Disrupting Its Metabolism. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:370. [PMID: 38927250 PMCID: PMC11200616 DOI: 10.3390/biology13060370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Artificial insemination (AI) with liquid-preserved semen has recently become common in pig breeding. The semen doses are produced in a centralized manner at the boar stud and then subsequently distributed and transported to sow farms. However, vibration emissions during transportation by logistic vehicles may adversely affect the quality of boar sperm. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the impact of vibration-induced emissions on sperm quality and function under simulated transportation conditions. Each time, ejaculates from all 15 boars were collected and then pooled together to minimize individual variations, and the sample was split using an extender for dilution. Different rotational speeds (0 rpm, 80 rpm, 140 rpm, 200 rpm) were utilized to simulate varying intensities of vibration exposure using an orbital shaker, considering different transportation times (0 h, 3 h, and 6 h). Subsequently, evaluations were conducted regarding sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, mitochondrial function, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels, mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, pH, glycolytic pathway enzyme activities, and capacitation following exposure to vibration emissions. Both vibration time and intensity impact sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity, and acrosomal integrity. Vibration exposure significantly reduced sperm ATP levels, mitochondrial membrane potential, and the levels of mitochondria-encoded proteins (MT-ND1, MT-ND6) (p < 0.05). After vibration emission treatment, the pH value and mitochondrial ROS levels significantly increased (p < 0.05). Inhibition of sperm glycolysis was observed, with reduced activities of hexokinase (HK), pyruvate kinase (PK), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), along with decreased lactate levels (p < 0.05). Additionally, sperm tyrosine phosphorylation levels were significantly reduced by vibration emissions compared to the control group (p < 0.05). After the vibration emission treatment, the number of sperm bound to each square millimeter of oviduct explants decreased significantly compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Similarly, compared to the control group, using semen subjected to vibration stress for AI results in significantly reduced pregnancy rates, total born litter size, live-born litter size, and healthy born litter size (p < 0.05).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanpeng Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China (L.M.)
| | - Xuejun Zeng
- Fujian Aoxin Biotechnology Group Co., Ltd., Zhangzhou 363000, China;
- Ji’an Aobao Biotechnology Group Co., Ltd., Ji’an 343000, China
| | - Shenao Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China (L.M.)
| | - S. A. Masudul Hoque
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur 1706, Bangladesh;
| | - Lingjiang Min
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China (L.M.)
| | - Nengshui Ding
- Fujian Aoxin Biotechnology Group Co., Ltd., Zhangzhou 363000, China;
- Ji’an Aobao Biotechnology Group Co., Ltd., Ji’an 343000, China
- State Key Laboratory for Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China
| | - Zhendong Zhu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China (L.M.)
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Ramírez-López CJ, Barros E, Vidigal PM, Okano DS, Gomes LL, Carvalho RPR, de Castro AG, Baracat-Pereira MC, Guimarães SEF, Guimarães JD. Oxidative stress associated with proteomic and fatty acid profiles of sperm from Nellore bulls at rest†. Biol Reprod 2023; 109:878-891. [PMID: 37702320 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioad121] [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] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual rest is a transient condition, which compromises conception rates, characterized by large volumes of ejaculate with high percentages of dead sperm observed in bulls. The biochemical mechanisms leading to this ejaculate pattern are not fully understood. Six adult resting Nellore bulls were submitted to Breeding Soundness Evaluation by four consecutive semen collections through the electroejaculation method during a 30 min period. Each ejaculate had its semen phenotypic parameters; morphology and physical aspects were evaluated. To assess enzymatic activity (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione S-transferase), lipid peroxidation (concentrations of malondialdehyde and nitric oxide), fatty acid, and proteomic profile aliquots of spermatozoa from the first and fourth ejaculates were used. All sperm parameters differed between the first and fourth ejaculates. Spermatozoa from the first ejaculate showed lower enzymatic activity and a higher concentration of lipid peroxidation markers. Among the 19 identified fatty acids, 52.7% are polyunsaturated. Relative abundance analysis showed that C12:0 and C18:0 fatty acids differed between the first and fourth ejaculates, being the fourth ejaculate richer in spermatozoa. The proteomics analysis identified a total of 974 proteins in both sample groups (first and fourth ejaculates). The majority of identified proteins are related to cellular processes and signaling. Quantitative proteomics showed 36 differentially abundant proteins, 6 up-regulated proteins in the first ejaculate, and 30 up-regulated proteins in the fourth ejaculate. Spermatozoa from bulls at sexual rest have less antioxidant capacity, causing changes in their fatty acid composition and protein profile, which generates the observed sperm pattern and lower fertilization capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilo José Ramírez-López
- Animal Reproduction Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerai, Brazil
| | - Edvaldo Barros
- Nucleus for Analysis of Biomolecules, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Brazil
| | | | - Denise Silva Okano
- Animal Reproduction Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Lidiany Lopes Gomes
- Animal Reproduction Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Alex Gazolla de Castro
- Biotechnology and Biodiversity for the Environment Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Maria Cristina Baracat-Pereira
- Proteomics and Protein Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Simone Eliza Facioni Guimarães
- LABTEC-Animal Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - José Domingos Guimarães
- Animal Reproduction Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Henriques MC, Santiago J, Patrício A, Herdeiro MT, Loureiro S, Fardilha M. Smoking Induces a Decline in Semen Quality and the Activation of Stress Response Pathways in Sperm. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1828. [PMID: 37891907 PMCID: PMC10604710 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12101828] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Male infertility is a prevalent concern affecting couples worldwide. While genetic factors, hormonal imbalances, and reproductive system defects play significant roles, emerging evidence suggests that lifestyle choices also profoundly impact male fertility. This study aimed to explore the effects of several lifestyle factors, including tobacco and alcohol consumption, physical activity, and dietary habits, on semen quality parameters and molecular biomarkers. Thirty healthy male volunteers were recruited in the Urology service at Hospital Infante D. Pedro, Aveiro, Portugal. Participants completed lifestyle questionnaires and provided semen samples, which were analyzed according to the World Health Organization criteria by experienced technicians. We also analyzed the expression levels of antioxidant enzymes and heat-shock response-related proteins to explore the activation of signaling pathways involved in stress response within sperm cells. Our results revealed that tobacco consumption reduced semen volume and total sperm count. Although the changes in the percentage of total motility and normal morphology in the smokers' group did not reach statistical significance, a slight decrease was observed. Moreover, we identified for the first time a significant association between tobacco consumption and increased levels of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) and phosphorylated HSP27 (p-HSP27) in sperm cells, indicating the potential detrimental effects of tobacco on the reproductive system. This study highlights that lifestyle factors reduce semen quality, possibly by inducing stress in sperm, raising awareness about the effects of these risk factors among populations at risk of male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magda Carvalho Henriques
- iBiMED—Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (M.C.H.)
- CESAM—Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Joana Santiago
- iBiMED—Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (M.C.H.)
| | - António Patrício
- Hospital Infante D. Pedro, Centro Hospitalar do Baixo Vouga, EPE, 3810-096 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Maria Teresa Herdeiro
- iBiMED—Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (M.C.H.)
| | - Susana Loureiro
- CESAM—Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Margarida Fardilha
- iBiMED—Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (M.C.H.)
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Keller A, Kerns K. Sperm capacitation as a predictor of boar fertility. Mol Reprod Dev 2023; 90:594-600. [PMID: 37306038 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23690] [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: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Prediction of a boar's fertility level has great economic importance for sow herds. After standard sperm morphology and motility metrics are met, approximately 25% of boars have less than 80% conception rates. Due in part to the many factors involved in the fertilization process, a multifactorial model incorporating multiple relevant sperm physiology factors will likely lead to increased understanding of boar fertility. Here we review the current literature on boar sperm capacitation as a predictor of boar fertility. While limited, several studies have provided correlations between the percentage of sperm in an ejaculate that are capable of undergoing sperm capacitation in a chemically defined media and artificial insemination field fertility as well as proteome and other methods. Work summarized here underscores the need for further understanding of boar fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Keller
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Karl Kerns
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
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Chhillar S, Batra V, Kumaresan A, Kumar R, Pal A, Datta TK. Acute exposure to organophosphorus pesticide metabolites compromises buffalo sperm function and impairs fertility. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9102. [PMID: 37277402 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35541-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Agrichemicals such as organophosphorus pesticides' metabolites (OPPMs) are more hazardous and pervasive than their parent pesticides. Parental germline exposure to such xenobiotics leads to an elevated susceptibility towards reproductive failures e.g. sub- or in-fertility. This study sought to examine the effects of low-dose, acute OPPM exposure on mammalian sperm function using buffalo as the model organism. The buffalo spermatozoa were briefly (2 h) exposed to metabolites of the three most prevalent organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) viz. Omethoate (from Dimethoate), paraoxon-methyl (from methyl/ethyl parathion) and 3, 5, 6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (from chlorpyrifos). Exposure to OPPMs resulted in compromised structural and functional integrity (dose-dependent) of the buffalo spermatozoa typified by elevated membrane damage, increased lipid peroxidation, precocious capacitation and tyrosine phosphorylation, perturbed mitochondrial activity and function and (P < 0.05). This led to a decline in the in vitro fertilizing ability (P < 0.01) of the exposed spermatozoa, as indicated by reduced cleavage and blastocyst formation rates. Preliminary data indicate that acute exposure to OPPMs, akin to their parent pesticides, induces biomolecular and physiological changes in spermatozoa that compromise their health and function ultimately affecting their fertility. This is the first study demonstrating the in vitro spermatotoxic effects of multiple OPPMs on male gamete functional integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivani Chhillar
- Animal Genomics Lab., Animal Biotechnology Centre, ICAR-NDRI, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India
| | - Vipul Batra
- Animal Genomics Lab., Animal Biotechnology Centre, ICAR-NDRI, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India
- School of Medicine, Division of Child Health, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, England
| | - Arumugam Kumaresan
- Theriogenelogy Lab., SRS of National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, India
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- Animal Genomics Lab., Animal Biotechnology Centre, ICAR-NDRI, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India
| | - Ankit Pal
- Animal Genomics Lab., Animal Biotechnology Centre, ICAR-NDRI, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India
| | - Tirtha Kumar Datta
- Animal Genomics Lab., Animal Biotechnology Centre, ICAR-NDRI, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India.
- ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes, Hisar, India.
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Kamal MM, Alam ME, Das SK, Yeasmin MS, Ahmed S, Rahman MA, Das DK, Gofur MR, Masum MA. Effects of glucose and trehalose on tris-citric acid-egg yolk-fructose diluents for semen cryopreservation in goat. J Adv Vet Anim Res 2023; 10:169-177. [PMID: 37534075 PMCID: PMC10390673 DOI: 10.5455/javar.2023.j666] [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: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives This study aimed to examine the impacts of the wide range of concentrations of glucose and trehalose on the tris-citric acid-egg yolk-fructose (TCEF) extenders for cryopreservation of goat semen. Materials and Methods The sperm sample was pooled, washed, and diluted in control (TCEF without glucose and trehalose), TCEF + glucose (75, 150, 450, and 900 mm), and TCEF + trehalose (75, 150, 450, and 900 mm). After equilibrations, the semen straws were frozen under LN2 in the LN2 tank. After LN2 storage, the straws were thawed at 37°C for 30 seconds. The sperm parameters of all study groups were checked after equilibration and freezing. Results After equilibration, the progressive motility (PM), total motility (TM), and viability of sperm in G-75, G-150, G-450, T-75, T-150, and T-450 were not significantly different (p < 0.05) from those in control. After cryopreservation and thawing, the PM, TM, and plasma membrane integrity (PMI) of T-150 were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in control, G-75, G-900, T-75, and T-900. The viability of sperm in T-150 was substantially higher (p < 0.05) than in the control, whereas there was no significant difference among the control, G-75, G-900, T-75, and T-900. However, the acrosome integrity (AI) of sperm in G-900 was significantly decreased (p < 0.05) compared to the control, G-75, G-150, G-450, T-75, T-150, and T-450. Conclusion According to the findings, the supplementation of 150 mm trehalose in the TCEF diluent was more efficient for sperm cryopreservation in the buck as reflected by PM, TM, viability, PMI, and AI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md. Mostofa Kamal
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Emtiaj Alam
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
| | - Sunny Kumar Das
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
| | - Most. Shorifa Yeasmin
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Sciences and Engineering, East West University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Soshe Ahmed
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
| | - Mst. Afroza Rahman
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
| | - Dipak Kumar Das
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Royhan Gofur
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Abdul Masum
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Physiology, Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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Pozdyshev DV, Kombarova NA, Muronetz VI. Biochemical Features of X or Y Chromosome-Bearing Spermatozoa for Sperm Sexing. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2023; 88:655-666. [PMID: 37331711 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297923050085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
This review presents information on biochemical features of spermatozoa bearing X or Y chromosome, enabling production of a sperm fraction with pre-defined sex chromosome. The almost only technology currently used for such separation (called sexing) is based on the fluorescence-activated cell sorting of sperm depending on DNA content. In addition to the applied aspects, this technology made it possible to analyze properties of the isolated populations of spermatozoa bearing X or Y chromosome. In recent years, existence of the differences between these populations at the transcriptome and proteome level have been reported in a number of studies. It is noteworthy that these differences are primarily related to the energy metabolism and flagellar structural proteins. New methods of sperm enrichment with X or Y chromosome cells are based on the differences in motility between the spermatozoa with different sex chromosomes. Sperm sexing is a part of the widespread protocol of artificial insemination of cows with cryopreserved semen, it allows to increase proportion of the offspring with the required sex. In addition, advances in the separation of X and Y spermatozoa may allow this approach to be applied in clinical practice to avoid sex-linked diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis V Pozdyshev
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Nina A Kombarova
- Head Center for Reproduction of Agricultural Animals, 142143 Bykovo, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Vladimir I Muronetz
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
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10
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Li Y, Zhang G, Wen F, Xian M, Guo S, Zhang X, Feng X, Hu Z, Hu J. Glucose Starvation Inhibits Ferroptosis by Activating the LKB1/AMPK Signaling Pathway and Promotes the High Speed Linear Motility of Dairy Goat Sperm. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13091442. [PMID: 37174479 PMCID: PMC10177147 DOI: 10.3390/ani13091442] [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: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In mammals, sperm acquire fertilization ability after capacitation in vitro or when in the female reproductive tract. The motility patterns of sperm undergo continuous changes from the moment of ejaculation until fertilization in the female reproductive tract. In vitro, hyperactivated motility can be induced through high glucose mediums, while in vivo, it is induced by oviduct fluids. Conversely, sperm maintain linear motility in seminal plasma or uterine fluids that contain low glucose levels. In dairy goat sperm, energy metabolism associated with capacitation depends on the energy sources in vitro, seminal plasma, or the female reproductive tract, especially the glucose levels. However, there is little experimental knowledge that glucose levels affect sperm energy metabolism in dairy goats. To clarify these hypotheses, we incubated dairy goat spermatozoa with different concentrations of rotenone-glucose (ROT), carbonyl cyanide 4-(trifluoromethoxy) phenylhydrazone (FCCP), and tigecycline (TIG) in vitro. Sperm motility attributes, ATP content, pyruvate and lactate levels, mitochondrial permeability transition pore fluorescence intensity, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and protein synthesis were analyzed. Sperm motility patterns changed from circular to linear under low glucose conditions compared with those in high glucose conditions and showed a significant improvement in progressive motility and straight line speed, whereas lactate and pyruvate levels and MMP decreased remarkably. Incubation of spermatozoa with ROT, FCCP, and TIG inhibited sperm mitochondrial activity, protein synthesis, oxidative phosphorylation, and ATP levels, thereby reducing sperm motility, including the progressive motility, straight line speed, and total motility. Simultaneously, incubation of spermatozoa with Compound C under low glucose conditions significantly decreased the ATP levels and MMP, as well as liver kinase B1 and AMPK protein expression. Under low glucose conditions, sperm mainly produce ATP through mitochondrial OXPHOS to achieve high speed linear movement, inhibit ferroptosis through the LKB1/AMPK signaling pathway, and further maintain energy metabolism homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Guangzhi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Fei Wen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Ming Xian
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Songmao Guo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Xing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Xianzhou Feng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Zhangtao Hu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Jianhong Hu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
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11
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Selvaraju S, Ramya L, Swathi D, Archana SS, Lavanya M, Krishnappa B, Binsila BK, Mahla AS, Arangasamy A, Andonissamy J, Kumar P, Sharma RK. Cryostress induces fragmentation and alters the abundance of sperm transcripts associated with fertilizing competence and reproductive processes in buffalo. Cell Tissue Res 2023:10.1007/s00441-023-03764-8. [PMID: 37079096 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-023-03764-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
The study aimed to assess the influence of cryostress on RNA integrity and functional significance in sperm fertilizing ability. The fresh and post-thawed buffalo sperm (n = 6 each) samples were evaluated for their functional attributes, and sperm total RNA was subjected to transcriptome sequencing followed by validation using real-time PCR and dot blot. Overall, 6911 genes had an expression of FPKM > 1, and among these 431 genes were abundantly expressed (FPKM > 20) in buffalo sperm. These abundantly expressed genes regulate reproductive functions such as sperm motility (TEKT2, SPEM1, and PRM3, FDR = 1.10E-08), fertilization (EQTN, PLCZ1, and SPESP1, FDR = 7.25E-06) and the developmental process involved in reproduction (SPACA1, TNP1, and YBX2, FDR = 7.21E-06). Cryopreservation significantly (p < 0.05) affected the structural and functional membrane integrities of sperm. The expression levels of transcripts that regulate the metabolic activities and fertility-related functions were compromised during cryopreservation. Interestingly, cryostress induces the expression of genes involved (p < 0.05) in chemokine signaling (CX3CL1, CCL20, and CXCR4), G-protein coupled receptor binding (ADRB1, EDN1, and BRS3), translation (RPS28, MRPL28, and RPL18A), oxidative phosphorylation (ND1, ND2, and COX2), response to reactive oxygen species (GLRX2, HYAL2, and EDN1), and immune responses (CX3CL1, CCL26, and TBXA2R). These precociously expressed genes during cryopreservation alter the signaling mechanisms that govern sperm functional competence and can impact fertilization and early embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sellappan Selvaraju
- Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bengaluru, 560030, India.
| | - Laxman Ramya
- Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bengaluru, 560030, India
| | - Divakar Swathi
- Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bengaluru, 560030, India
| | | | - Maharajan Lavanya
- Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bengaluru, 560030, India
| | - Balaganur Krishnappa
- Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bengaluru, 560030, India
| | - Bala Krishnan Binsila
- Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bengaluru, 560030, India
| | - Ajit Singh Mahla
- Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bengaluru, 560030, India
- Physiology and Biochemistry Division, ICAR-Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan, 304501, India
| | - Arunachalam Arangasamy
- Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bengaluru, 560030, India
| | - Jerome Andonissamy
- Animal Physiology and Reproduction Division, ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes, Hisar, Haryana, 125001, India
| | - Pradeep Kumar
- Animal Physiology and Reproduction Division, ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes, Hisar, Haryana, 125001, India
| | - Rakesh Kumar Sharma
- Animal Physiology and Reproduction Division, ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes, Hisar, Haryana, 125001, India
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12
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TLR7/8 agonist (R848) inhibit bovine X sperm motility via PI3K/GSK3α/β and PI3K/NFκB pathways. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 232:123485. [PMID: 36731692 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Sex-control technology have great economic value and is one of the hot topics in livestock research. To produce more milk, dairy farmers prefer female offspring. X/Y sperm separation is an effective method for offspring sex control. Currently, the major commercial production method for sperm separation is flow cytometry sorting in cattle. However, flow cytometry requires expensive equipment and long sorting times. So, a simple and inexpensive method for producing a higher number of dairy cows is required. In this study, R848 activates toll-like receptor 7/8 (TLR7/8), thereby separating X from Y sperm. The results showed TLR7/8 is expressed in the tail of X sperm. Immunofluorescence (IF) of testes, epididymis, and ejaculate shows that the number of TLR7+/8+ sperm cells is up to 50 %. Furthermore, TLR7/8 agonist (R848) affects mitochondrial function through the PI3K/GSK3α/β/hexokinase and PI3K/NFκB/hexokinase signalling pathways, inhibiting X sperm motility, while the motility of Y-sperm remains unchanged. The difference in sperm motility causes Y sperm (with high motility) to move to the upper layer and X-sperm (with low motility) to the lower layer allowing the separation of X and Y sperm. Based on this study, we reveal a simple and effective method for enriched X/Y sperms from cattle.
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13
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Zhang R, Guo X, Liang C, Pei J, Bao P, Yin M, Wu F, Chu M, Yan P. Identification and Validation of Yak ( Bos grunniens) Frozen-Thawed Sperm Proteins Associated with Capacitation and the Acrosome Reaction. J Proteome Res 2022; 21:2754-2770. [PMID: 36251486 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.2c00528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
To achieve fertilization, mammalian spermatozoa must undergo capacitation and the acrosome reaction (AR) within the female reproductive tract. However, the effects of cryopreservation on sperm maturation and fertilizing potential have yet to be established. To gain insight into changes in protein levels within sperm cells prepared for use in the context of fertilization, a comprehensive quantitative proteomic profiling approach was used to analyze frozen-thawed Ashidan yak spermatozoa under three sequential conditions: density gradient centrifugation-based purification, incubation in a capacitation medium, and treatment with the calcium ionophore A23187 to facilitate AR induction. In total, 3280 proteins were detected in these yak sperm samples, of which 3074 were quantified, with 68 and 32 being significantly altered following sperm capacitation and AR induction. Differentially abundant capacitation-related proteins were enriched in the metabolism and PPAR signaling pathways, while differentially abundant AR-related proteins were enriched in the AMPK signaling pathway. These data confirmed a role for superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) as a regulator of sperm capacitation while also offering indirect evidence that heat shock protein 90 alpha (HSP90AA1) regulates the AR. Together, these findings offer a means whereby sperm fertility-related marker proteins can be effectively identified. Data are available via Proteome Xchange with identifier PXD035038.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renzheng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Xian Guo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Chunnian Liang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Jie Pei
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Pengjia Bao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Mancai Yin
- Yak Breeding and Extension Service Center in Qinghai Province, Xining 810000, China
| | - Fude Wu
- Yak Breeding and Extension Service Center in Qinghai Province, Xining 810000, China
| | - Min Chu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Ping Yan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China
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14
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Peña FJ, O'Flaherty C, Ortiz Rodríguez JM, Martín Cano FE, Gaitskell-Phillips G, Gil MC, Ortega Ferrusola C. The Stallion Spermatozoa: A Valuable Model to Help Understand the Interplay Between Metabolism and Redox (De)regulation in Sperm Cells. Antioxid Redox Signal 2022; 37:521-537. [PMID: 35180830 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2021.0092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Significance: Proper functionality of the spermatozoa depends on the tight regulation of their redox status; at the same time these cells are highly energy demanding and in the energetic metabolism, principally in the electron transport chain in the mitochondria, reactive oxygen species are continuously produced, in addition to that observed in the Krebs cycle and during the β-oxidation of fatty acids. Recent Advances: In addition, in glycolysis, elimination of phosphate groups from glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate and dihydroxyacetone phosphate results in the byproducts glyoxal (G) and methylglyoxal (MG); these products are 2-oxoaldehydes. The presence of adjacent carbonyl groups makes them strong electrophiles that react with nucleophiles in proteins, lipids, and DNA, forming advanced glycation end products. Critical Issues: This mechanism is behind subfertility in diabetic patients; in the animal breeding industry, commercial extenders for stallion semen contain a supraphysiological concentration of glucose that promotes MG production, constituting a potential model of interest. Future Directions: Increasing our knowledge of sperm metabolism and its interactions with redox regulation may improve current sperm technologies in use, and shall provide new clues to understanding infertility in males. Moreover, stallion spermatozoa due to its accessibility, intense metabolism, and suitability for proteomics/metabolomic studies may constitute a suitable model for studying regulation of metabolism and interactions between metabolism and redox homeostasis. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 37, 521-537.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando J Peña
- Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain
| | - Cristian O'Flaherty
- Urology Division, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics and Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - José M Ortiz Rodríguez
- Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain
| | - Francisco E Martín Cano
- Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain
| | - Gemma Gaitskell-Phillips
- Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain
| | - María C Gil
- Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain
| | - Cristina Ortega Ferrusola
- Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain
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15
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Castro-Arnau J, Chauvigné F, Gómez-Garrido J, Esteve-Codina A, Dabad M, Alioto T, Finn RN, Cerdà J. Developmental RNA-Seq transcriptomics of haploid germ cells and spermatozoa uncovers novel pathways associated with teleost spermiogenesis. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14162. [PMID: 35986060 PMCID: PMC9391476 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18422-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractIn non-mammalian vertebrates, the molecular mechanisms involved in the transformation of haploid germ cells (HGCs) into spermatozoa (spermiogenesis) are largely unknown. Here, we investigated this process in the marine teleost gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) through the examination of the changes in the transcriptome between cell-sorted HGCs and ejaculated sperm (SPZEJ). Samples were collected under strict quality controls employing immunofluorescence microscopy as well as by determining the sperm motion kinematic parameters by computer-assisted sperm analysis. Deep sequencing by RNA-seq identified a total of 7286 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (p-value < 0.01) between both cell types, of which nearly half were upregulated in SPZEJ compared to HCGs. In addition, approximately 9000 long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were found, of which 56% were accumulated or emerged de novo in SPZEJ. The upregulated transcripts are involved in transcriptional and translational regulation, chromatin and cytoskeleton organization, metabolic processes such as glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation, and also include a number of ion and water channels, exchangers, transporters and receptors. Pathway analysis conducted on DEGs identified 37 different signaling pathways enriched in SPZEJ, including 13 receptor pathways, from which the most predominant correspond to the chemokine and cytokine, gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor and platelet derived growth factor signaling pathways. Our data provide new insight into the mRNA and lncRNA cargos of teleost spermatozoa and uncover the possible involvement of novel endocrine mechanisms during the differentiation and maturation of spermatozoa.
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16
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Carboxylated ε-Poly-L-Lysine Supplementation of the Freezing Extender Improves the Post-Thawing Boar Sperm Quality. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12131726. [PMID: 35804625 PMCID: PMC9265091 DOI: 10.3390/ani12131726] [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: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Frozen boar sperm is used on a very limited scale in pig artificial insemination owing to the low quality of post-thaw sperm. Cryoprotectant is usually used in boar sperm freezing extender, which is important for improving the post-thaw sperm quality. The carboxylated ε-poly-L-lysine, an efficient and non-toxic cryoprotectant, has been used as a food and cell preservative, as well as for tissue engineering and drug delivery in the biomedical applications. However, whether addition of carboxylated ε-poly-L-lysine to the freezing medium improves the post-thaw boar sperm quality or not is unknown. In this study, the addition of 0.25% carboxylated ε-poly-L-lysine to the freezing medium significantly improved the post-thaw boar sperm quality by protecting sperm mitochondrial function and antioxidant defense system. Abstract Frozen boar sperm is used on a minimal scale in consequence of the cryo-injuries induced by biochemical and physical modifications during the freezing and thawing processes. The present study investigates whether the addition of carboxylated ε-poly-L-lysine (CPLL) to the freezing medium could improve post-thaw boar sperm quality or not. Boar sperm was diluted with freezing medium contained different doses of carboxylated ε-poly-L-lysine (0, 0.125%, 0.25%, 0.5%, and 1%; v/v). The motility patterns, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, NADH-CoQ activity, ATP level, malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and antioxidant defense system, as well as apoptosis in post-thaw boar sperm, were measured. It was observed that 0.25% CPLL treatment significantly improved the post-thaw boar sperm total motility, progressive motility, straight-linear velocity (VSL), curvilinear velocity (VCL), average path velocity (VAP), linearity (LIN), straightness (STR), membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity. Interestingly, the addition of CPLL also significantly increased the post-thaw sperm mitochondrial membrane potential, NADH-CoQ activity, and ATP level. Moreover, post-thaw boar sperm catalase (CAT) activity, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were increased with the addition of CPLL from 0.125% to 0.5% concentration levels. Furthermore, reduction of post-thaw sperm MDA level and apoptosis in 0.25% CPLL treatment was also observed. Those observations suggested that the addition of 0.25% CPLL to the freezing medium increased post-thaw boar sperm quality by protecting sperm mitochondrial function and antioxidant defense system. These findings provided novel insights that CPLL can be used as an efficient cryoprotectant to improve the post-thaw boar sperm quality during cryopreservation.
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17
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Henning H, Nguyen QT, Luther AM, Wallner U, Beyerbach M, Waberski D. In vitro storage of boar spermatozoa increases the demand of ATP for reactivation of motility. Andrology 2022; 10:1426-1440. [PMID: 35785447 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prolonging the shelf-life of liquid-preserved semen without compromising its fertilizing capacity may increase the efficiency of artificial insemination in pigs. Many fertilization-relevant processes are ATP dependent. The impact of semen storage and rewarming to body temperature on the energy status of sperm are as yet unknown. OBJECTIVES To investigate the energy status of boar spermatozoa during storage and subsequent rewarming, and to reveal the potential role of mitochondrial function for reactivation and maintenance of sperm motility. MATERIALS AND METHODS Extended semen samples (n = 7 boars) were used. Spermatozoa were challenged by storage at 17°C for seven days and incubation at 38°C for 180 minutes. The ATP concentration and energy charge (EC) in semen samples and lactate concentration in the extracellular medium were assessed. Viability and mitochondrial activity were determined by flow cytometry, and clustered single cell analysis of motility parameters were performed. RESULTS The energy status was not affected by semen storage (p>0.05). Rewarming resulted in a net reduction in ATP concentration which increased with storage time (maximum Day 5: -24.2±10.3 %), but was not accompanied by a loss in viability, motility or mitochondrial activity. Blocking glycolysis with 2-Deoxy-D-glucose prevented re-establishing of motility and mitochondrial activity after rewarming. Mitochondrial activity gradually subsided in virtually all spermatozoa during incubation at 38°C, while ATP and EC remained high. Concomitantly, extracellular lactate levels rose and sperm populations with lower velocity, increased linearity, and low lateral head-displacement grew larger. Size changes for major sperm subpopulations correlated with the percentage of viable sperm with high mitochondrial activity (r = 0.44 to 0.70 for individual subpopulations, p<0.01). CONCLUSION Storage of boar spermatozoa increases the demand of ATP for reactivation of sperm towards fast, non-linear and hyperactivation-like motility patterns upon rewarming. Maintenance of glycolysis seems to be decisive for sperm function after long-term storage in vitro. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko Henning
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine / Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 15, D-30559, Hannover, Germany.,Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Farm Animal Genetics, Höltystrasse 10, D-31535, Neustadt, Germany
| | - Quynh Thu Nguyen
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine / Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 15, D-30559, Hannover, Germany.,Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 3, D-37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Anne-Marie Luther
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine / Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 15, D-30559, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ulrike Wallner
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine / Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 15, D-30559, Hannover, Germany
| | - Martin Beyerbach
- Institute for Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 15, D-30559, Hannover, Germany
| | - Dagmar Waberski
- Unit for Reproductive Medicine / Clinic for Pigs and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 15, D-30559, Hannover, Germany
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18
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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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19
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Cryoprotectants-Free Vitrification and Conventional Freezing of Human Spermatozoa: A Comparative Transcript Profiling. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063047. [PMID: 35328464 PMCID: PMC8956043 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Spermatozoa cryopreservation is an important technique to preserve fertility for males. This study aimed at exploring the stability of epigenetics information in human spermatozoa, manipulated by two different technologies, freezing and vitrification. Methods: Spermatozoa samples were distributed into three groups: 1. Fresh spermatozoa (control group), 2. Frozen spermatozoa, 3. Vitrified spermatozoa. Epigenetic differences of fresh and cryopreserved spermatozoa were evaluated using high-throughput RNA sequencing. Results: Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in frozen (1103 genes) and vitrified (333 genes) spermatozoa were evaluated. The bioinformatical analysis identified 8 and 15 significant pathways in groups of frozen and vitrified spermatozoa, respectively. The majority of these pathways are most relevant to immune and infectious diseases. The DEGs of the fertilization process are not detected during vitrification. The freezing process induces more down-regulation of genes and is relevant to apoptosis changes and immune response. Conclusion: Cryopreservation of human spermatozoa is an epigenetically safe method for male fertility preservation. Cryoprotectant-free vitrification can induce more minor biological changes in human spermatozoa, in comparison with conventional freezing.
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20
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Corda PO, Silva JV, Pereira SC, Barros A, Alves MG, Fardilha M. Bioinformatic Approach to Unveil Key Differentially Expressed Proteins in Human Sperm After Slow and Rapid Cryopreservation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:759354. [PMID: 35145967 PMCID: PMC8821918 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.759354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Currently, two conventional freezing techniques are used in sperm cryopreservation: slow freezing (SF) and rapid freezing (RF). Despite the protocolar improvements, cryopreservation still induces significant alterations in spermatozoon that are poorly understood. Here, available proteomic data from human cryopreserved sperm was analyzed through bioinformatic tools to unveil key differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) that can be used as modulation targets or quality markers. From the included proteomic studies, 160 and 555 DEPs were collected for SF and RF groups, respectively. For each group, an integrative network was constructed using gene ontology and protein-protein interaction data to identify key DEPs. Among them, arylsulfatase A (ARSA) was highlighted in both freezing networks, and low ARSA levels have been associated with poor-sperm quality. Thus, ARSA was selected for further experimental investigation and its levels were assessed in cryopreserved samples by western blot. ARSA levels were significantly decreased in RF and SF samples (∼31.97 and ∼39.28%, respectively). The bioinformatic analysis also revealed that the DEPs were strongly associated with proteasomal and translation pathways. The purposed bioinformatic approach allowed the identification of potential key DEPs in freeze-thawed human spermatozoa. ARSA has the potential to be used as a marker to assess sperm quality after cryopreservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro O Corda
- Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Joana Vieira Silva
- Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.,Department of Chemistry, QOPNA and LAQV, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.,Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Anatomy and Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sara C Pereira
- Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Anatomy and Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Alberto Barros
- Department of Chemistry, QOPNA and LAQV, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.,Centre for Reproductive Genetics A. Barros, Porto, Portugal.,Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Marco G Alves
- Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Anatomy and Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Margarida Fardilha
- Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
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21
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Ojaghi M, Varghese J, Kastelic JP, Thundathil JC. Characterization of the Testis-Specific Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (tACE)-Interactome during Bovine Sperm Capacitation. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2022; 44:449-469. [PMID: 35723410 PMCID: PMC8928970 DOI: 10.3390/cimb44010031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
A comprehensive understanding of molecular and biochemical changes during sperm capacitation is critical to the success of assisted reproductive technologies. We reported involvement of the testis-specific isoform of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (tACE) in bovine sperm capacitation. The objective of this study was to characterize the tACE interactome in fresh and heparin-capacitated bovine sperm through immunoprecipitation coupled with mass spectrometry. These interactions were validated by co-localization of tACE with beta-tubulin as an identified interactome constituent. Although interactions between tACE and several proteins remained unchanged in fresh and capacitated sperm, mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), inactive serine/threonine protein-kinase 3 (VRK3), tubulin-beta-4B chain (TUBB4B), and tubulin-alpha-8 chain (TUBA8) were recruited during capacitation, with implications for cytoskeletal and membrane reorganization, vesicle-mediated transport, GTP-binding, and redox regulation. A proposed tACE interactional network with identified interactome constituents was generated. Despite tACE function being integral to capacitation, the relevance of interactions with its binding partners during capacitation and subsequent events leading to fertilization remains to be elucidated.
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22
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Dutta S, Sengupta P, Chakravarthi S. Oxidant-Sensitive Inflammatory Pathways and Male Reproductive Functions. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1358:165-180. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-89340-8_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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23
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Zhu Z, Zeng Y, Zeng W. Cysteine improves boar sperm quality via glutathione biosynthesis during the liquid storage. Anim Biosci 2021; 35:166-176. [PMID: 34445846 PMCID: PMC8738942 DOI: 10.5713/ab.21.0151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Sperm are particularly susceptible to reactive oxygen species (ROS) stress. Glutathione (GSH) is an endogenous antioxidant that regulates sperm redox homeostasis. However, it is not clear whether boar sperm could utilize cysteine for synthesis GSH to protect sperm quality from ROS damage. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to elucidate the mechanism of how cysteine is involved in protecting boar sperm quality during liquid storage. Methods Sperm motility, membrane integrity, lipid peroxidation, 4-hydroxyIlonenal (4-HNE) modifications, mitochondrial membrane potential, as well as the levels of ROS, GSH and, ATP were evaluated. Moreover, the enzymes (GCLC: glutamate cysteine ligase; GSS: glutathione synthetase) that are involved in glutathione synthesis from cysteine precursor were detected by western blotting. Results Compared to the control, addition of 1.25 mM cysteine to the liquid storage significantly increased boar sperm progressive motility, straight-line velocity (VSL), curvilinear velocity (VCL), beat-cross frequency (BCF), membrane integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP level, acrosome integrity, activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, and GSH level, while reducing the ROS level, lipid peroxidation and 4-HNE modifications. It was also observed that the GCLC and GSS were expressed in boar sperm. Interestingly, when we used menadione to induce sperm with ROS stress, the menadione associated damages were observed to be reduced by the cysteine supplementation. Moreover, compared to the cysteine treatment, the γ-GCS activity, GSH level, mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP level, membrane integrity and progressive motility in boar sperm were decreased by supplementing with an inhibitor of GSH synthesis, buthionine sulfoximine (BSO). Conclusion These data suggest that boar sperm could biosynthesize the GSH from cysteine in vitro. Therefore, during storage, addition of cysteine improves boar sperm quality via enhancing the GSH synthesis to resist ROS stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhendong Zhu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yao Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wenxian Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, China
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24
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Kumar P, Wang M, Isachenko E, Rahimi G, Mallmann P, Wang W, von Brandenstein M, Isachenko V. Unraveling Subcellular and Ultrastructural Changes During Vitrification of Human Spermatozoa: Effect of a Mitochondria-Targeted Antioxidant and a Permeable Cryoprotectant. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:672862. [PMID: 34277615 PMCID: PMC8284099 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.672862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria-targeted antioxidants have great potential to counterbalance the generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) because they cross the inner membrane of the mitochondria. Still, their use was not reported in vitrified human spermatozoa. Our laboratory has successfully vitrified spermatozoa without the use of permeable cryoprotectants, but subcellular-level evidence was missing. Therefore, this study aimed to improve spermatozoa vitrification using a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant (mitoquinone, MitoQ), reveal ultrastructural changes in the spermatozoa due to the use of a permeable cryoprotectant, and report alterations of functional proteins during the spermatozoa vitrification process. For this, each of 20 swim-up-prepared ejaculates was divided into seven aliquots and diluted with a vitrification medium supplemented with varying concentrations of MitoQ (0.02 and 0.2 μM), glycerol (1, 4, and 6%), and a combination of MitoQ and glycerol. All aliquots were vitrified by the aseptic capillary method developed in our laboratory. The spermatozoa function assays revealed that the addition of either MitoQ (0.02 μM), glycerol (1%), or a combination of MitoQ (0.02 μM) and glycerol (1%) in the vitrification medium results in better or equivalent spermatozoa quality relative to the control. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that MitoQ protects the spermatozoa from undergoing ultrastructural alterations, but glycerol induced ultrastructural alterations during the vitrification process. Next, we performed label-free quantitative proteomics and identified 1,759 proteins, of which 69, 60, 90, and 81 were altered in the basal medium, 0.02 μM MitoQ, 1% glycerol, and Mito-glycerol groups, respectively. Actin, tubulins, and outer dense fiber proteins were not affected during the vitrification process. Some of the identified ubiquitinating enzymes were affected during spermatozoa vitrification. Only a few proteins responsible for phosphorylation were altered during vitrification. Similarly, several proteins involved in spermatozoa–egg fusion and fertilization (IZUMO1 and Tektin) were not affected during the vitrification process. In conclusion, MitoQ attenuates the vitrification-induced ultrastructural changes and alterations in the key proteins involved in spermatozoa functions and fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradeep Kumar
- Department of Animal Physiology and Reproduction, ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes, Hisar, India.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical Faculty, Cologne University, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mengying Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical Faculty, Cologne University, Cologne, Germany
| | - Evgenia Isachenko
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical Faculty, Cologne University, Cologne, Germany
| | - Gohar Rahimi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical Faculty, Cologne University, Cologne, Germany
| | - Peter Mallmann
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical Faculty, Cologne University, Cologne, Germany
| | - Wanxue Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical Faculty, Cologne University, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Vladimir Isachenko
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical Faculty, Cologne University, Cologne, Germany
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Islam MM, Umehara T, Tsujita N, Shimada M. Saturated fatty acids accelerate linear motility through mitochondrial ATP production in bull sperm. Reprod Med Biol 2021; 20:289-298. [PMID: 34262396 PMCID: PMC8254171 DOI: 10.1002/rmb2.12381] [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: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The present study was undertaken to clarify whether bovine sperm could take up fatty acids (FAs) and produce ATP to maintain linear motility. METHODS Frozen bovine semen was thawed in media containing either lipid mixture (LM) or FAs, and sperm motility was analyzed. The kinetic changes in FA levels in sperm were detected using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The mitochondrial activity of sperm thawed in media containing LM or FAs was analyzed based on the fluorescence intensity of JC-1 staining and the oxygen consumption rate. FA transporters were observed using whole-mounted immunofluorescence. RESULTS Sperm linear motility was significantly (P < .05) increased after thawing in media with LM and FA. Moreover, saturated fatty acids were predominant in sperm thawed in media with LM. Notably, our study revealed that frozen bovine sperm possessed FA transporters in the midpiece where the fluorescence signals were detected after treatment with fluorescence-tagged FA. Treatment with FA activated electron transport in mitochondria through β-oxidation. CONCLUSIONS Sperm linear motility is facilitated by FAs in the thawing media used for frozen bovine sperm. This might provide a new approach for upgrading the artificial insemination technique used in both livestock animals and human infertility care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md. Mazharul Islam
- Laboratory of Reproductive EndocrinologyGraduate School of Biosphere ScienceHiroshima UniversityHiroshimaJapan
- Department of Animal Breeding and GeneticsBangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural UniversityGazipurBangladesh
| | - Takashi Umehara
- Laboratory of Reproductive BiologyGraduate School of Integrated Sciences for LifeHiroshima UniversityHiroshimaJapan
| | - Natsumi Tsujita
- Laboratory of Reproductive BiologyGraduate School of Integrated Sciences for LifeHiroshima UniversityHiroshimaJapan
| | - Masayuki Shimada
- Laboratory of Reproductive EndocrinologyGraduate School of Biosphere ScienceHiroshima UniversityHiroshimaJapan
- Laboratory of Reproductive BiologyGraduate School of Integrated Sciences for LifeHiroshima UniversityHiroshimaJapan
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26
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Sellem E, Marthey S, Rau A, Jouneau L, Bonnet A, Le Danvic C, Guyonnet B, Kiefer H, Jammes H, Schibler L. Dynamics of cattle sperm sncRNAs during maturation, from testis to ejaculated sperm. Epigenetics Chromatin 2021; 14:24. [PMID: 34030709 PMCID: PMC8146655 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-021-00397-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background During epididymal transit, spermatozoa go through several functional maturation steps, resulting from interactions with epididymal secretomes specific to each region. In particular, the sperm membrane is under constant remodeling, with sequential attachment and shedding of various molecules provided by the epididymal lumen fluid and epididymosomes, which also deliver sncRNA cargo to sperm. As a result, the payload of sperm sncRNAs changes during the transit from the epididymis caput to the cauda. This work was designed to study the dynamics of cattle sperm sncRNAs from spermatogenesis to final maturation. Results Comprehensive catalogues of sperm sncRNAs were obtained from testicular parenchyma, epididymal caput, corpus and cauda, as well as ejaculated semen from three Holstein bulls. The primary cattle sncRNA sperm content is markedly remodeled as sperm mature along the epididymis. Expression of piRNAs, which are abundant in testis parenchyma, decreases dramatically at epididymis. Conversely, sperm progressively acquires miRNAs, rsRNAs, and tsRNAs along epididymis, with regional specificities. For instance, miRNAs and tsRNAs are enriched in epididymis cauda and ejaculated sperm, while rsRNA expression peaks at epididymis corpus. In addition, epididymis corpus contains mainly 20 nt long piRNAs, instead of 30 nt in all other locations. Beyond the bulk differences in abundance of sncRNAs classes, K-means clustering was performed to study their spatiotemporal expression profile, highlighting differences in specific sncRNAs and providing insights into their putative biological role at each maturation stage. For instance, Gene Ontology analyses using miRNA targets highlighted enriched processes such as cell cycle regulation, response to stress and ubiquitination processes in testicular parenchyma, protein metabolism in epididymal sperm, and embryonic morphogenesis in ejaculated sperm. Conclusions Our findings confirm that the sperm sncRNAome does not simply reflect a legacy of spermatogenesis. Instead, sperm sncRNA expression shows a remarkable level of plasticity resulting probably from the combination of multiple factors such as loss of the cytoplasmic droplet, interaction with epididymosomes, and more surprisingly, the putative in situ production and/or modification of sncRNAs by sperm. Given the suggested role of sncRNA in epigenetic trans-generational inheritance, our detailed spatiotemporal analysis may pave the way for a study of sperm sncRNAs role in embryo development. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13072-021-00397-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eli Sellem
- R&D Department, ALLICE, 149 rue de Bercy, 75012, Paris, France.
| | - Sylvain Marthey
- AgroParisTech, INRAE, GABI, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,INRAE, MaIAGE, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Andrea Rau
- AgroParisTech, INRAE, GABI, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,BioEcoAgro Joint Research Unit, INRAE, Université de Liège, Université de Lille, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Estrées-Mons, France
| | - Luc Jouneau
- UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Université Paris Saclay, 78350, Jouy en Josas, France.,Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire D'Alfort, BREED, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Aurelie Bonnet
- R&D Department, ALLICE, 149 rue de Bercy, 75012, Paris, France
| | | | - Benoît Guyonnet
- R&D Department, Union Evolution, rue Eric Tabarly, 35538, Noyal-Sur-Vilaine, France
| | - Hélène Kiefer
- UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Université Paris Saclay, 78350, Jouy en Josas, France.,Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire D'Alfort, BREED, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Hélène Jammes
- UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Université Paris Saclay, 78350, Jouy en Josas, France.,Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire D'Alfort, BREED, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
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27
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Taniguchi S, Zhu Z, Matsuzaki M, Tsudzuki M, Maeda T. 5-aminolevulinic acid improves chicken sperm motility. Anim Biosci 2021; 34:1912-1920. [PMID: 33902172 PMCID: PMC8563236 DOI: 10.5713/ab.21.0021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective This study investigated the effects of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) on the motility parameters, mitochondrial membrane depolarization, and ATP levels in chicken sperm. Methods The pooled semen from Barred Plymouth Rock males was used. In the first experiment, the semen was diluted 4-times with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS (-)) containing various concentrations (0, 0.01, 0.05, and 0.1 mM) of 5-ALA, and then the sperm motility parameters after incubation were evaluated by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA). In the second experiment, the semen was diluted 4-times with PBS (-) containing 0.05 mM 5-ALA, and then sperm mitochondrial membrane depolarization and ATP levels after 1.5 h of incubation were analyzed with the MitoPT® JC-1 Assay and ATP Assay kits, respectively. In the third experiment, the semen was removed from the seminal plasma and resuspended with the mediums of PBS (-), PBS (-) supplemented with CaCl2 and MgCl2 (PBS (+)) + 5-ALA, PBS (+) + caffeine, and PBS (+) + caffeine + 5-ALA. Then, the sperm motility parameters after incubation were evaluated by CASA. In the last experiment, the semen was treated with the mediums of PBS (-), PBS (-) + 5-ALA, 5.7% glucose, 5.7% glucose + 5-ALA after removing the seminal plasma, and then the sperm motility parameters were evaluated by CASA. Results The addition of 0.05 mM 5-ALA significantly increased the chicken sperm motility, progressive motility, linearity, average path velocity, curvilinear velocity, straight-line velocity, and the wobble. The sperm mitochondrial membrane depolarization was also increased by the 5-ALA treatment. The 5-ALA treatment decreased the sperm ATP levels. Both the caffeine treatment and glucose treatment decreased the sperm motility during incubation period. Conclusion 5-ALA might increase sperm mitochondrial membrane depolarization to utilize the ATP for enhancing sperm movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin Taniguchi
- Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8528, Japan.,One Health Business Department, Neopharma Japan Co., Ltd., Fujimi, Chiyodaku, Tokyo 102-0071, Japan
| | - Zhendong Zhu
- Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8528, Japan
| | - Mei Matsuzaki
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8528, Japan
| | - Masaoki Tsudzuki
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8528, Japan.,Japanese Avian Bioresource Project Research Center, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8528, Japan
| | - Teruo Maeda
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8528, Japan.,Japanese Avian Bioresource Project Research Center, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8528, Japan
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28
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Hoque SAM, Umehara T, Kawai T, Shimada M. Adverse effect of superoxide-induced mitochondrial damage in granulosa cells on follicular development in mouse ovaries. Free Radic Biol Med 2021; 163:344-355. [PMID: 33385538 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2020.12.434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
High mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (mt-OXPHOS) levels are required to supply the ATP necessary for follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-induced granulosa cell proliferation during the follicular development process. Consequently, excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) might be generated and have an adverse effect on follicular health. This study aimed to elucidate the negative effects of ROS on mitochondrial functions in FSH-stimulated granulosa cells during the follicular development process and to investigate whether pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) treatment could accelerate this process by ameliorating the adverse effects. To do this, both in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed with granulosa cells from superovulated immature (3-week-old) mice that were pretreated with or without PQQ, and a natural mating study was also performed. The ROS level in FSH-/eCG-stimulated granulosa cells was significantly increased. Moreover, high oxidative stress and mtDNA damage levels were evident in the granulosa cells. PQQ treatment not only reduced the ROS and oxidative stress levels but also ameliorated mtDNA damage, accelerated FSH-/eCG-induced ATP production, and increased the mitochondrial membrane potential and the expression levels of mitochondrial genes (Nd1, Cytb, Cox1, ATPase6) and the mt-ND1 protein. Accordingly, the proliferation and viability of granulosa cells, numbers of healthy preovulatory follicles and ovulated oocytes and serum estrogen level were significantly improved, while the apoptosis of granulosa cells was reduced. However, PQQ treatment did not change the fertility parameters in mature mice with natural cycles but did significantly increased the number of offspring born per delivery. These results revealed that ROS-associated damage in FSH-stimulated granulosa cells adversely affects their physiology and follicular health during the follicular development process. Treatment with PQQ is a beneficial tool to increase both the number of ovulated oocytes and pups per delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- S A Masudul Hoque
- Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology, Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan; Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, 1706, Bangladesh
| | - Takashi Umehara
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Tomoko Kawai
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Masayuki Shimada
- Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology, Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan; Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
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Santiago J, Santos MAS, Fardilha M, Silva JV. Stress response pathways in the male germ cells and gametes. Mol Hum Reprod 2021; 26:1-13. [PMID: 31814009 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaz063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a conserved and essential cellular pathway involved in protein quality control that is activated in response to several cellular stressors such as diseases states, ageing, infection and toxins. The cytosol, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria are continuously exposed to new proteins and in situations of aberrant protein folding; one of three lines of defence may be activated: (i) heat-shock response, (ii) mitochondrial UPR and (iii) ER UPR. These pathways lead to different signal transduction mechanisms that activate or upregulate transcription factors that, in turn, regulate genes that increase the cell's ability to correct the conformation of poorly folded proteins or, ultimately, lead to apoptosis. Despite the recent progress in understanding such biological processes, few studies have focused on the implications of the UPR in male infertility, highlighting the need for a first approach concerning the presence of these components in the male reproductive system. In testis, there is a high rate of protein synthesis, and the UPR mechanisms are well described. However, the presence of these mechanisms in spermatozoa, apparently transcriptionally inactive cells, is contentious, and it is unclear how sperm cells deal with stress. Here, we review current concepts and mechanisms of the UPR and highlight the relevance of these stress response pathways in male fertility, especially the presence and functional activation of those components in male germinal cells and spermatozoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Santiago
- Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED), University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - M A S Santos
- Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED), University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - M Fardilha
- Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED), University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - J V Silva
- Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED), University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal.,Reproductive Genetics and Embryo-fetal Development Group, Institute for Innovation and Health Research (I3S), University of Porto, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Department of Microscopy, Laboratory of Cell Biology, and Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB), Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Paul N, Kumaresan A, Das Gupta M, Nag P, Guvvala PR, Kuntareddi C, Sharma A, Selvaraju S, Datta TK. Transcriptomic Profiling of Buffalo Spermatozoa Reveals Dysregulation of Functionally Relevant mRNAs in Low-Fertile Bulls. Front Vet Sci 2021; 7:609518. [PMID: 33506000 PMCID: PMC7829312 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.609518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Although, it is known that spermatozoa harbor a variety of RNAs that may influence embryonic development, little is understood about sperm transcriptomic differences in relation to fertility, especially in buffaloes. In the present study, we compared the differences in sperm functional attributes and transcriptomic profile between high- and low-fertile buffalo bulls. Sperm membrane and acrosomal integrity were lower (P < 0.05), while protamine deficiency and lipid peroxidation were higher (P < 0.05) in low- compared to high-fertile bulls. Transcriptomic analysis using mRNA microarray technology detected a total of 51,282 transcripts in buffalo spermatozoa, of which 4,050 transcripts were differentially expressed, and 709 transcripts were found to be significantly dysregulated (P < 0.05 and fold change >1) between high- and low-fertile bulls. Majority of the dysregulated transcripts were related to binding activity, transcription, translation, and metabolic processes with primary localization in the cell nucleus, nucleoplasm, and in cytosol. Pathways related to MAPK signaling, ribosome pathway, and oxidative phosphorylation were dysregulated in low-fertile bull spermatozoa. Using bioinformatics analysis, we observed that several genes related to sperm functional attributes were significantly downregulated in low-fertile bull spermatozoa. Validation of the results of microarray analysis was carried out using real-time qPCR expression analysis of selected genes (YBX1, ORAI3, and TFAP2C). The relative expression of these genes followed the same trend in both the techniques. Collectively, this is the first study to report the transcriptomic profile of buffalo spermatozoa and to demonstrate the dysregulation of functionally relevant transcripts in low-fertile bull spermatozoa. The results of the present study open up new avenues for understanding the etiology for poor fertility in buffalo bulls and to identify fertility biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilendu Paul
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Veterinary Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Southern Regional Station of ICAR - National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, India
| | - Arumugam Kumaresan
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Veterinary Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Southern Regional Station of ICAR - National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, India
| | - Mohua Das Gupta
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Veterinary Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Southern Regional Station of ICAR - National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, India
| | - Pradeep Nag
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Veterinary Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Southern Regional Station of ICAR - National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, India
| | - Pushpa Rani Guvvala
- Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, ICAR - National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Bengaluru, India
| | - Channareddi Kuntareddi
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Veterinary Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Southern Regional Station of ICAR - National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, India
| | - Ankur Sharma
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Veterinary Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Southern Regional Station of ICAR - National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, India
| | - Sellappan Selvaraju
- Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, ICAR - National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Bengaluru, India
| | - Tirtha Kumar Datta
- Animal Genomics Laboratory, ICAR - National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India
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Umehara T, Tsujita N, Goto M, Tonai S, Nakanishi T, Yamashita Y, Shimada M. Methyl-beta cyclodextrin and creatine work synergistically under hypoxic conditions to improve the fertilization ability of boar ejaculated sperm. Anim Sci J 2021; 91:e13493. [PMID: 33314533 DOI: 10.1111/asj.13493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Although successful fertilization is completed by only 150 sperm in the pig oviduct, more than 50,000 sperms are required to achieve a fertilization rate of more than 70% by pig in vitro fertilization (IVF). In this study, to improve the efficiency of pig IVF, the effects of hypoxic conditions and treatment with creatine and methyl-beta cyclodextrin (MβCD) on the glycolytic pathway were investigated. Under low O2 conditions, zig-zag motility was strongly induced within 30 min; however, the induction disappeared at 60 min. Although caffeine suppressed zig-zag motility under low O2 conditions, creatine induced and sustained zig-zag motility until 120 min. Additionally, pretreatment with MβCD for 15 min greatly enhanced zig-zag motility via ATP production in sperm incubated with creatine under low O2 conditions. Sperm pretreated with MβCD were used for IVF in medium containing creatine under low O2 conditions. A fertilization rate of approximately 70% was achieved with only 1.0 x 104 sperms/mL, and there were few polyspermic embryos. Therefore, our novel method was beneficial for efficient production of pig embryos in vitro. Moreover, the zig-zag motility may be a novel movement which boar capacitated sperm exhibit in the culture medium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Umehara
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Natsumi Tsujita
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Masaaki Goto
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan.,Livestock Research Institute, Oita Prefectural Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research Center, Oita, Japan
| | - Shingo Tonai
- Graduate School of Comprehensive Scientific Research, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Shobara, Japan
| | - Tomoya Nakanishi
- Graduate School of Comprehensive Scientific Research, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Shobara, Japan
| | - Yasuhisa Yamashita
- Graduate School of Comprehensive Scientific Research, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Shobara, Japan
| | - Masayuki Shimada
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
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Zhu Z, Umehara T, Tsujita N, Kawai T, Goto M, Cheng B, Zeng W, Shimada M. Itaconate regulates the glycolysis/pentose phosphate pathway transition to maintain boar sperm linear motility by regulating redox homeostasis. Free Radic Biol Med 2020; 159:44-53. [PMID: 32745767 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2020.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian cells improve redox homeostasis under reactive oxygen species (ROS) stress conditions via the enhancement of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). However, it is not clear how the cell reprograms glucose metabolism from glycolysis to the PPP. Hence, in the present study, we used boar sperm as a model to elucidate the mechanism by which the glycolysis/PPP transition occurs under ROS stress. The boar sperm treated with moderate glucose levels for 3 h exhibited increased sperm linear motility patterns, ATP levels and GSH/GSSG ratios and decreased ROS levels compared to the boar sperm treated without glucose. In addition, the hexokinase activity, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity, NADPH level, NADPH/NADP+ ratio and mitochondrial activity were higher in the sperm treated with moderate glucose than in those not treated with glucose. Interestingly, the enzyme activity of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (ALDOA) was not significantly changed during the incubation. The sperm linear motility patterns were decreased by treatment with the G6PD inhibitor 6-aminonicotinamide. Moreover, moderate glucose treatment significantly increased the itaconate levels in sperm. Both endogenous and exogenous itaconate increased the total itaconate modifications and the itaconate-modified ALDOA levels in sperm, suggesting that under moderate-glucose conditions, glycolysis in the sperm was suppressed by an increase in the itaconate levels. Furthermore, the addition of itaconate improved the sperm linear motility patterns by suppressing glycolysis and enhancing oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Therefore, the itaconate generated from OXPHOS regulates the glycolysis/PPP transition to maintain redox homeostasis. In sperm, this itaconate-dependent mechanism plays an important role in maintaining their high linear motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhendong Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, China; Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Takashi Umehara
- Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Natsumi Tsujita
- Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Tomoko Kawai
- Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Masaaki Goto
- Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan; Livestock Research Institute, Oita Prefectural Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research Center, Oita, Japan
| | - Bo Cheng
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenxian Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Masayuki Shimada
- Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
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Chen G, Ren L, Chang Z, Zhao Y, Zhang Y, Xia D, Zhao R, He B. Lysine acetylation participates in boar spermatozoa motility and acrosome status regulation under different glucose conditions. Theriogenology 2020; 159:140-146. [PMID: 33152539 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.10.027] [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: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Efficient artificial insemination (AI) with liquid preserved boar semen is essential for the swine industry. Glucose is the most widely utilized energy source in refrigerated boar semen extenders. However, the relationship between glucose concentration and spermatozoa quality is not fully understood. In the present study, boar spermatozoa were used as a model to investigate the impact of different glucose concentrations on spermatozoa motility, mitochondrial activity, and acrosome integrity at physiological temperature (37 °C) and during refrigeration (17 °C). The proportion of progressively motile spermatozoa and mitochondrial activity in the high glucose group were significantly lower than in the low glucose group when incubated at 37 °C for 3 h or 17 °C for 3 d, but not at 17 °C for 7 d. Lysine acetylation is a reversible post-translational modification that plays a crucial role in spermatozoa function. Our results show that spermatozoa protein acetylation levels were higher in the high glucose group than in the low glucose group. The proportions of progressively motile and acrosome-intact spermatozoa were higher in acetyltransferase inhibitor (WM-1119)-treated spermatozoa than in the control. Spermatozoa acetyl-CoA concentration, which is directly linked to acetylation, was significantly higher in the high glucose group than in the low glucose group. Taken together, spermatozoa motility and acrosome integrity can be altered by changing the concentration of glucose in the extender. High glucose concentration-induced lysine acetylation participates in the regulation of boar spermatozoa motility and acrosome integrity during preservation. These results can provide insights into spermatozoa preservation and AI in the swine industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Li Ren
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Zhanglin Chang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Yuting Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Yanwen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Dong Xia
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Breeding Pig, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 201106, PR China
| | - Ruqian Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China; MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Bin He
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China; MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China.
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Nätt D, Öst A. Male reproductive health and intergenerational metabolic responses from a small RNA perspective. J Intern Med 2020; 288:305-320. [PMID: 32415866 DOI: 10.1111/joim.13096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The world has recently experienced a decline in male reproductive (e.g. sperm counts and motility) and metabolic (e.g. obesity and diabetes) health. Accumulated evidence from animal models also shows that the metabolic health of the father may influence the metabolic health in his offspring. Vectors for such paternal intergenerational metabolic responses (IGMRs) involve small noncoding RNAs (sncRNAs) that often increase in spermatozoa during the last days of maturation in the epididymis. We and others have shown that the metabolic state - depending on factors such as diet, obesity and physical exercise - may affect sperm quality and sperm sncRNA. Together, this suggests that there are overlapping aetiologies between the male metabolic syndrome, male factor infertility and intergenerational responses. In this review, we present a theoretical framework for an overlap of these aetiologies by exploring the advances in our understanding of the roles of sncRNA in spermatogenesis and offspring development. A special focus will lie on novel findings about tRNA-derived small RNA (tsRNA), rRNA-derived small RNA (rsRNA) and small mitochondrial RNA (mitoRNA), and their emerging roles in intergenerational metabolic and reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Nätt
- From the, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linkoping, Sweden
| | - A Öst
- From the, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linkoping, Sweden
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Umehara T, Tsujita N, Zhu Z, Ikedo M, Shimada M. A simple sperm-sexing method that activates TLR7/8 on X sperm for the efficient production of sexed mouse or cattle embryos. Nat Protoc 2020; 15:2645-2667. [DOI: 10.1038/s41596-020-0348-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Chen Y, Wang K, Zhang D, Zhao Z, Huang J, Zhou L, Feng M, Shi J, Wei H, Li L, Wu Z, Zhang S. GPx6 is involved in the in vitro induced capacitation and acrosome reaction in porcine sperm. Theriogenology 2020; 156:107-115. [PMID: 32698036 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Glutathione peroxidases (GPxs) are regarded as important protectors against oxidative stress. Some members of this protein family were reported to play key roles in protecting sperm against oxidative stress. Whether GPx6 a member of the GPx family also plays a role in protection against oxidative stress is not known to date. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the localization and function of glutathione peroxidase 6 (GPx6) in boar accessory sex glands, seminal plasma, and sperm, as well as the effect of GPx6 on vitality and capacitation in boar sperm. qPCR and Western blot analysis demonstrated the presence of GPx6 in testis, epididymis, bulbourethral glands, prostate, seminal vesicle, sperm and seminal plasma. Incubation of sperm with an GPx6 antibody had no significant effect on the viability of boar sperm prior to capacitation. Surprisingly, when capacitated sperm was incubated with the GPx6 antibody for 240 min, sperm vitality was significantly improved. Western blotting showed that in capacitated sperm without prior pretreatment, GPx6 protein content was reduced compared to sperm before capacitation. To further confirm a role for GPx6 in sperm capacitation, we tested sperm acrosome reaction by ACR.2 and FITC-PSA. The results showed that treatment of sperm with the GPx6 antibody significantly increased sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction. Furthermore, we examined the concentration of cAMP in sperm after capacitation. ELISA demonstrated that the cAMP concentration in the sperm exposed to the GPx6 antibody was significantly higher than that of the control group. In addition, the exposure of sperm to the GPx6 antibody significantly increased the concentration of H2O2, while the expression of SOD3 and CAT were decreased. Based on these observations we would like to postulate that in the boar reproductive tract the GPx6 protein becomes attached to the sperm head preventing the sperm to undergo premature capacitation by affecting components of the antioxidant pathway. How GPx6 expression following ejaculation becomes suppressed to allow sperm capacitation to take place needs further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Chen
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Henry Fok College of Biology and Agriculture, Shaoguan University.
| | - Kai Wang
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
| | - Delong Zhang
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi City, 830052, China.
| | - Zhihong Zhao
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
| | - Jianhao Huang
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
| | - Lele Zhou
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
| | - Meiying Feng
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; College of Life Sciences, Zhaoqing University, Zhaoqing, Guangdong, 526061, China.
| | - Junsong Shi
- Guangdong Wen's Breeding Swine Company, Yunfu, Guangdong, 527400, China.
| | - Hengxi Wei
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
| | - Li Li
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
| | - Zhenfang Wu
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
| | - Shouquan Zhang
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
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Al-Mutary MG, Al-Ghadi MQ, Ammari AA, Al-Himadi AR, Al-Jolimeed AH, Arafah MW, Amran RA, Aleissa MS, Swelum AAA. Effect of different concentrations of resveratrol on the quality and in vitro fertilizing ability of ram semen stored at 5 °C for up to 168 h. Theriogenology 2020; 152:139-146. [PMID: 32408027 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of different concentrations of resveratrol on head morphology, motility characteristics, oxidative state and in vitro fertility of cooled ram spermatozoa. Pooled semen from three Najdi rams was diluted with Triladyl® having different concentrations of resveratrol, zero (control), 200 μM (45.65 μg/mL) and 400 μM (91.30 μg/mL) resveratrol, then stored at 5 °C for 168 h. The head morphometric, sperm kinematic parameters, Malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and in vitro fertilizing capability of ram spermatozoa were evaluated after 24, 72, 120 and 168 h of cooling storage. The total motility (TM) of the sperm with resveratrol at 200 μM and 400 μM was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher than that in the control group at 72 and 120 h of cooling storage. On the other hand, the progressive motility (PM) of the sperm with resveratrol at 200 μM and 400 μM was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher than that in the control group at 168 h of cooling storage period. After 168 h of cooling storage, significantly higher straightness (STR) was observed in 400 μM group than two other groups and in 200 μM group than the control group. Both resveratrol groups had higher linearity (LIN) than control one at 120 and 168 h of cooling storage. The length, width and area of sperm head were lower (P ≤ 0.05) in the control compared to the other treatment groups after 120 and 168 h of storage. There was a significant increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) concentration in the two resveratrol groups compared with the control one over the seven days of cooling storage and the same result was found in the reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration at 24, 72, and 168 h of storage. There was a significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in the 400 μM resveratrol group than that in two other groups over the seven days of storage period. Cleavage and blastocyst rates following in vitro fertilization were significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) in 400 μM resveratrol than other groups at 72 h for cooling storage period. In conclusion, addition of resveratrol in the extender can protect sperm head morphology, improve kinematic parameters and in vitro fertility, and reduce oxidative stress of ram spermatozoa during liquid storage at 5 °C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen G Al-Mutary
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Education, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 2375, Dammam, 14513, Saudi Arabia; Basic and Applied Scientific Research Center, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam, 31441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muath Q Al-Ghadi
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aiman A Ammari
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Thamar University, Yemen
| | - Ahmed R Al-Himadi
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Mohammed W Arafah
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ramzi A Amran
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Animal Production, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Thamar University, Yemen
| | - Mohammed S Aleissa
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ayman Abdel-Aziz Swelum
- Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44511, Egypt; Department of Animal Production, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.
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Exogenous Oleic Acid and Palmitic Acid Improve Boar Sperm Motility via Enhancing Mitochondrial Β-Oxidation for ATP Generation. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10040591. [PMID: 32244409 PMCID: PMC7222800 DOI: 10.3390/ani10040591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Sperm requires ATP production for maintaining motility. In boar sperm, it is not clear whether the mitochondrial β-oxidation pathway for ATP generation is active or not. We found that boar sperm could utilize oleic acid and palmitic acid during the liquid storage. Addition of oleic acid and palmitic acid to extender improved the sperm quality. Using the incubation model, we found that boar sperm utilized oleic acid and palmitic acid as the energy substrates for ATP generation via mitochondrial β-oxidation pathway. We suggest that addition of fatty acids to the extender would be beneficial to improve boar sperm quality. Abstract It takes several hours for mammalian sperm to migrate from the ejaculation or insemination site to the fertilization site in the female reproductive tract in which glucose, amino acids, and fatty acids are regarded as the primary substrates for ATP generation. The present study was designed to investigate whether oleic acid and palmitic acid were beneficial to boar sperm in vitro; and if yes, to elucidate the mechanism that regulates sperm motility. Therefore, the levels of oleic acid and palmitic acid, motility, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, and apoptosis of sperm were evaluated. Moreover, the enzymes involved in mitochondrial β-oxidation (CPT1: carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1; ACADVL: long-chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase) were detected with immunofluorescence and Western blotting. Consequently, the ATP content and the activities of CPT1, ACADVL, malate dehydrogenase (MDH), and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) were also measured. We observed that CPT1 and ACADVL were expressed in boar sperm and localized in the midpiece. The levels of oleic acid and palmitic acid were decreased during storage at 17 °C. The addition of oleic acid and palmitic acid significantly increased sperm motility, progressive motility, straight-line velocity (VSL), membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity with a simultaneous decrease in sperm apoptosis after seven days during storage. When sperm were incubated with oleic acid and palmitic acid at 37 °C for 3 h, the activities of CPT1 and ACADVL, the ATP level, the mitochondrial membrane potential, the activities of MDH and SDH, as well as sperm motility patterns were significantly increased compared to the control (p < 0.05). Moreover, the addition of etomoxir to the diluted medium in the presence of either oleic acid or palmitic acid and the positive effects of oleic acid and palmitic acid were counteracted. Together, these data suggest that boar sperm might utilize oleic acid and palmitic acid as energy substrates for ATP production via β-oxidation. The addition of these acids could improve sperm quality.
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Barbagallo F, La Vignera S, Cannarella R, Aversa A, Calogero AE, Condorelli RA. Evaluation of Sperm Mitochondrial Function: A Key Organelle for Sperm Motility. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9020363. [PMID: 32013061 PMCID: PMC7073944 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9020363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The role of nutraceuticals in the treatment of male infertility, especially in the “idiopathic form”, remains the subject of significant debate. Many antioxidants improve sperm motility but the exact mechanism by which they act is still unclear. Although several studies have shown a correlation between sperm motility and mitochondrial function, the effects of antioxidant therapy on mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) are poorly studied. The first aim of this review was to evaluate the efficacy of antioxidants on mitochondrial function and, consequently, on sperm motility in male infertile patients. Material and Methods: we performed a systematic search of all randomized controlled and uncontrolled studies available in the literature that reported sperm motility and MMP at baseline and after antioxidant administration in-vivo and in-vitro in patients with idiopathic asthenozoospermia. Pubmed, MEDLINE, Cochrane, Academic One Files, Google Scholar and Scopus databases were used. Results: Unexpectedly, among 353 articles retrieved, only one study met our inclusion criteria and showed a significant effect of myoinositol on both MMP and sperm motility. We then summarized the main knowledge on anatomy and metabolism of sperm mitochondria, techniques allowing to assess sperm mitochondria function and its relationships with low sperm motility. Finally, we paid special attention to the effect of antioxidant/prokinetic molecules for the treatment of asthenozoospermia. Conclusions: This is the first systematic review that has attempted to evaluate the effects of antioxidants on MMP and sperm motility. Although results are not conclusive due to the dearth of studies, the close relationship between mitochondria and sperm motility is clear. The investigation of this correlation could provide valuable information to be exploited in clinical practice for the treatment of male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Barbagallo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Policlinico “G. Rodolico”, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (F.B.); (R.C.); (A.E.C.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Sandro La Vignera
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Policlinico “G. Rodolico”, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (F.B.); (R.C.); (A.E.C.); (R.A.C.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Rossella Cannarella
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Policlinico “G. Rodolico”, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (F.B.); (R.C.); (A.E.C.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Antonio Aversa
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, “Magna Graecia” University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy;
| | - Aldo E. Calogero
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Policlinico “G. Rodolico”, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (F.B.); (R.C.); (A.E.C.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Rosita A. Condorelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Policlinico “G. Rodolico”, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (F.B.); (R.C.); (A.E.C.); (R.A.C.)
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Wang W, Liang K, Chang Y, Ran M, Zhang Y, Ali MA, Dai D, Qazi IH, Zhang M, Zhou G, Yang J, Angel C, Zeng C. miR-26a is Involved in Glycometabolism and Affects Boar Sperm Viability by Targeting PDHX. Cells 2020; 9:E146. [PMID: 31936222 PMCID: PMC7016825 DOI: 10.3390/cells9010146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 12/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
miR-26a is associated with sperm metabolism and can affect sperm motility and apoptosis. However, how miR-26a affects sperm motility remains largely unknown. Our previous study indicated that the PDHX gene is predicted to be a potential target of miR-26a, which is responsible for pyruvate oxidative decarboxylation which is considered as a key step for connecting glycolysis with oxidative phosphorylation. In this study, we first reported a potential relationship between miR-26a and PDHX and their expressions in fresh, frozen-thawed, and epididymal boar sperm. Then, sperm viability and survival were determined after transfection of miR-26a. mRNA and protein expression level of PDHX in the liquid-preserved boar sperm after transfection were also determined by RT-qPCR and Western Blot (WB). Our results showed that expression level of PDHX was significantly increased during sperm transit from epididymal caput to corpus and cauda. Similarly, expression of PDHX was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in fresh sperm as compared to epididymal cauda and frozen-thawed sperm. However, the expression of miR-26a in epididymal corpus sperm was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of caput and cauda sperm. Furthermore, after transfection of boar sperm with miR-26a mimic and inhibitor under liquid storage, the lowest and highest sperm viability was observed in miR-26a mimic and inhibitor treatment (P < 0.05), respectively. The protein levels of PDHX, after 24 and 48 h of transfection of miR-26a mimics and inhibitor, were notably decreased and increased (P < 0.05), respectively, as compared to negative control (NC) group. In conclusion, the novel and enticing findings of our study provide a reasonable evidence that miR-26a via PDHX, a link between glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation, could regulate the glycometabolic pathway which eventually affect boar sperm viability and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wencan Wang
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Kai Liang
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Yu Chang
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Mingxia Ran
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Yan Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Malik Ahsan Ali
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
- Department of Theriogenology, Riphah College of Veterinary Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Dinghui Dai
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Izhar Hyder Qazi
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy & Histology, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sakrand 67210, Pakistan
| | - Ming Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Guangbin Zhou
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Jiandong Yang
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Christiana Angel
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China;
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sakrand 67210, Pakistan
| | - Changjun Zeng
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
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Nätt D, Kugelberg U, Casas E, Nedstrand E, Zalavary S, Henriksson P, Nijm C, Jäderquist J, Sandborg J, Flinke E, Ramesh R, Örkenby L, Appelkvist F, Lingg T, Guzzi N, Bellodi C, Löf M, Vavouri T, Öst A. Human sperm displays rapid responses to diet. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000559. [PMID: 31877125 PMCID: PMC6932762 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The global rise in obesity and steady decline in sperm quality are two alarming trends that have emerged during recent decades. In parallel, evidence from model organisms shows that paternal diet can affect offspring metabolic health in a process involving sperm tRNA-derived small RNA (tsRNA). Here, we report that human sperm are acutely sensitive to nutrient flux, both in terms of sperm motility and changes in sperm tsRNA. Over the course of a 2-week diet intervention, in which we first introduced a healthy diet followed by a diet rich in sugar, sperm motility increased and stabilized at high levels. Small RNA-seq on repeatedly sampled sperm from the same individuals revealed that tsRNAs were up-regulated by eating a high-sugar diet for just 1 week. Unsupervised clustering identified two independent pathways for the biogenesis of these tsRNAs: one involving a novel class of fragments with specific cleavage in the T-loop of mature nuclear tRNAs and the other exclusively involving mitochondrial tsRNAs. Mitochondrial involvement was further supported by a similar up-regulation of mitochondrial rRNA-derived small RNA (rsRNA). Notably, the changes in sugar-sensitive tsRNA were positively associated with simultaneous changes in sperm motility and negatively associated with obesity in an independent clinical cohort. This rapid response to a dietary intervention on tsRNA in human sperm is attuned with the paternal intergenerational metabolic responses found in model organisms. More importantly, our findings suggest shared diet-sensitive mechanisms between sperm motility and the biogenesis of tsRNA, which provide novel insights about the interplay between nutrition and male reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Nätt
- Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Neurobiology, Linkoping, Sweden
| | - Unn Kugelberg
- Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Neurobiology, Linkoping, Sweden
| | - Eduard Casas
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Program for Predictive and Personalized Medicine of Cancer (PMPPC-IGTP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elizabeth Nedstrand
- Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Stefan Zalavary
- Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Pontus Henriksson
- Karolinska Institute, Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Huddinge, Sweden
- Linköping University, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Community Medicine, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Carola Nijm
- Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Julia Jäderquist
- Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Johanna Sandborg
- Karolinska Institute, Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Huddinge, Sweden
- Linköping University, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Community Medicine, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Eva Flinke
- Linköping University, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Community Medicine, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Rashmi Ramesh
- Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Neurobiology, Linkoping, Sweden
| | - Lovisa Örkenby
- Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Neurobiology, Linkoping, Sweden
| | - Filip Appelkvist
- Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Neurobiology, Linkoping, Sweden
| | - Thomas Lingg
- Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Neurobiology, Linkoping, Sweden
| | - Nicola Guzzi
- Lund University, Stem Cell Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Molecular Hematology, Lund, Sweden
| | - Cristian Bellodi
- Lund University, Stem Cell Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Molecular Hematology, Lund, Sweden
| | - Marie Löf
- Karolinska Institute, Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Huddinge, Sweden
- Linköping University, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Community Medicine, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Tanya Vavouri
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Program for Predictive and Personalized Medicine of Cancer (PMPPC-IGTP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anita Öst
- Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Neurobiology, Linkoping, Sweden
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First Insights on the Presence of the Unfolded Protein Response in Human Spermatozoa. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20215518. [PMID: 31694346 PMCID: PMC6861958 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20215518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The unfolded protein response (UPR) is involved in protein quality control and is activated in response to several stressors. Although in testis the UPR mechanisms are well described, their presence in spermatozoa is contentious. We aimed to investigate the presence of UPR-related proteins in human sperm and the impact of oxidative stress induction in UPR activation. To identify UPR-related proteins in human sperm, a bioinformatic approach was adopted. To explore the activation of UPR, sperm were exposed to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and motility, vitality, and the levels of UPR-related proteins were assessed. We identified 97 UPR-related proteins in human sperm and showed, for the first time, the presence of HSF1, GADD34, and phosphorylated eIF2α. Additionally, the exposure of human sperm to H2O2 resulted in a significant decrease in sperm viability and motility and an increase in the levels of HSF1, HSP90, HSP60, HSP27, and eIF2α; all proteins involved in sensing and response to unfolded proteins. This study gave us a first insight into the presence of UPR mechanisms in the male gamete. However, the belief that sperm are devoid of transcription and translation highlight the need to clarify if these pathways are activated in sperm in the same way as in somatic cells.
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Peris-Frau P, Martín-Maestro A, Iniesta-Cuerda M, Sánchez-Ajofrín I, Mateos-Hernández L, Garde JJ, Villar M, Soler AJ. Freezing-Thawing Procedures Remodel the Proteome of Ram Sperm before and after In Vitro Capacitation. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E4596. [PMID: 31533312 PMCID: PMC6769739 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20184596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian sperm must undergo a set of structural and functional changes collectively termed as capacitation to ensure a successful oocyte fertilization. However, capacitation can be compromised by cryopreservation procedures, which alter the proteome and longevity of sperm. To date, how the protein changes induced by cryopreservation could affect the acquisition of sperm fertilizing potential remains unexplored. The present study investigated the protein profile of ram sperm during in vitro capacitation before and after cryopreservation to elucidate the impact of cryopreservation on sperm capacitation at a molecular level. Fresh and cryopreserved ram sperm were incubated under capacitating (CAP) and non-capacitating (NC) conditions for 240 min. The sperm proteome of these four treatments was analyzed and compared at different incubation times using reverse phase liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (RP-LC-MS/MS). The comparison between fresh and cryopreserved sperm suggested that cryopreservation facilitated an apoptosis-stress response and redox process, while the comparison between sperm incubated in CAP and NC conditions showed that capacitation increased those biological processes associated with signaling, metabolism, motility, and reproductive processes. In addition, 14 proteins related to mitochondrial activity, sperm motility, oocyte recognition, signaling, spermatogenesis, and the apoptosis-stress response underwent significant changes in abundance over time when fresh and cryopreserved sperm incubated in CAP and NC conditions were compared. Our results indicate that disturbances in a ram sperm proteome after cryopreservation may alter the quality of sperm and its specific machinery to sustain capacitation under in vitro conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Peris-Frau
- SaBio IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), ETSIAM, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain.
| | - Alicia Martín-Maestro
- SaBio IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), ETSIAM, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain.
| | - María Iniesta-Cuerda
- SaBio IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), ETSIAM, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain.
| | - Irene Sánchez-Ajofrín
- SaBio IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), ETSIAM, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain.
| | - Lourdes Mateos-Hernández
- SaBio IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), ETSIAM, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain.
- UMR BIPAR, INRA, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, ANSES, Université Paris-Est, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France.
| | - J Julián Garde
- SaBio IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), ETSIAM, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain.
| | - Margarita Villar
- SaBio IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), ETSIAM, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain.
| | - Ana Josefa Soler
- SaBio IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), ETSIAM, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain.
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Zhu Z, Li R, Fan X, Lv Y, Zheng Y, Hoque SAM, Wu D, Zeng W. Resveratrol Improves Boar Sperm Quality via 5'AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Activation during Cryopreservation. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2019; 2019:5921503. [PMID: 31565152 PMCID: PMC6746164 DOI: 10.1155/2019/5921503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian sperm is highly susceptible to the reactive oxygen species (ROS) stress caused by biochemical and physical modifications during the cryopreservation process. 5'AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is involved in regulating both cell metabolism and cellular redox status. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the resveratrol protects boar sperm against ROS stress via activation of AMPK during cryopreservation. Boar sperm was diluted with the freezing medium supplemented with resveratrol at different concentrations (0, 25, 50, 75, 100, and 125 μM). It was observed that the addition of 50 μM resveratrol significantly improved the postthaw sperm progressive motility, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, mitochondrial activity, glutathione (GSH) level, activities of enzymatic antioxidants (glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase), and the phosphorylation of AMPK. Meanwhile, the lipid peroxidation, ROS levels, and apoptosis of postthaw sperm were reduced in the presence of 50 μM resveratrol. Furthermore, when fresh boar sperm was incubated with the medium in the presence of 50 μM resveratrol and 30 μM Compound C (an AMPK inhibitor), the effects of the resveratrol were partly counteracted by the Compound C. These observations suggest that the resveratrol protects boar sperm via promoting AMPK phosphorylation. In conclusion, the addition of resveratrol to the freezing extenders protects boar sperm against ROS damage via promoting AMPK phosphorylation for decreasing the ROS production and improving the antioxidative defense system of postthaw sperm. These findings provide novel insights into understanding the mechanisms of resveratrol on how to protect boar sperm quality contrary to the ROS production during cryopreservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhendong Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Rongnan Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Xiaoteng Fan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Yinghua Lv
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Yi Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - S. A. Masudul Hoque
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur 1706, Bangladesh
| | - De Wu
- Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition of the Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, 211 Hui-min Road, Wenjiang, Chengdu, Sichuan 611100, China
| | - Wenxian Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi 712100, China
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Activation of Toll-like receptor 7/8 encoded by the X chromosome alters sperm motility and provides a novel simple technology for sexing sperm. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000398. [PMID: 31408454 PMCID: PMC6691984 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In most mammals, the male to female sex ratio of offspring is about 50% because half of the sperm contain either the Y chromosome or X chromosome. In mice, the Y chromosome encodes fewer than 700 genes, whereas the X chromosome encodes over 3,000 genes. Although overall gene expression is lower in sperm than in somatic cells, transcription is activated selectively in round spermatids. By regulating the expression of specific genes, we hypothesized that the X chromosome might exert functional differences in sperm that are usually masked during fertilization. In this study, we found that Toll-like receptors 7/8 (TLR7/8) coding the X chromosome were expressed by approximately 50% of the round spermatids in testis and in approximately 50% of the epididymal sperm. Especially, TLR7 was localized to the tail, and TLR8 was localized to the midpiece. Ligand activation of TLR7/8 selectively suppressed the mobility of the X chromosome–bearing sperm (X-sperm) but not the Y-sperm without altering sperm viability or acrosome formation. The difference in sperm motility allowed for the separation of Y-sperm from X-sperm. Following in vitro fertilization using the ligand-selected high-mobility sperm, 90% of the embryos were XY male. Likewise, 83% of the pups obtained following embryo transfer were XY males. Conversely, the TLR7/8-activated, slow mobility sperm produced embryos and pups that were 81% XX females. Therefore, the functional differences between Y-sperm and X-sperm motility were revealed and related to different gene expression patterns, specifically TLR7/8 on X-sperm. The Toll-like receptors TLR7 and TLR8 are encoded by the X chromosome and expressed in X-containing sperm but not Y-containing sperm. TLR7/8 ligands suppress the motility of X-containing sperm, indicating that this receptor can differentially affect sperm function on the basis of the sex chromosome they bear.
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