• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.190-197
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• 2008

This study was designed to analyze boar sperm to compare motility, acrosome morphology, viability and ATP by various preservation methods between Duroc boar A with cold shock resistance sperm and Duroc boar B with cold shock sensitivity sperm. Semen volume, sperm concentration, motility and normal acrosome between Duroc boar A and B did not show any differences within 2 h after collection. There were no differences in sperm motility and normal acrosome between boar A and B at 1 day of preservation at $17^{\circ}C$ and $4^{\circ}C$, respectively. However, sperm motility and normal acrosome from 2 day of preservation at $17^{\circ}C$ and $4^{\circ}C$, respectively, were higher for boar A than boar B. The frozen-thawed sperm motility and normal acrosome were higher for boar A than boar B. The sperm viability and ATP concentration according to storage period of liquid semen at $17^{\circ}C$ and $4^{\circ}C$ were higher for boar A than boar B. Also, the sperm viability and ATP concentration of frozen-thawed semen were higher for boar A than boar B. In conclusion, we found out that the original quality of boar semen with cold shock resistance sperm played an important role.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.166-176
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• 2022

Objective: Sperm is 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, curvilinear velocity, beat-cross frequency, membrane integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP level, acrosome integrity, activities of superoxide dismutase 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-glutamylcysteine synthetase (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. 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.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.27-34
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• 2006

This study was conducted to compare the reproduction ability of the wild type boar and recombinant human erythropoietin (hEPO) transgenic boar semen. Ejaculated boar semen was analyzed by flow cytometry, Elisa and IVF methods. In experiment 1, flow cytometric analysis showed that the live sperm ratio of transgenic boar sperm significantly lower (P<0.05) than that of wild type boar after incubation at 20, 22, 24 and 26 hr. In experiment 2, the presence and levels of various cytokines (IL-6, IL-10 and $TNF-{\alpha}$) to related animal reproduction in the seminal and blood plasma were examined using specific enzyme immunoassay. There was no significant difference between both groups. In experiment 3, the fertilizing capacity and developmental ability of both boar sperm were compared. The transgenic boar sperm had a significantly low capacity of penetration, sperm-zona binding, embryo development, and blastocyst formation compared to wild type sperm (P<0.05). These results suggest that transgenic boar sperm harboring hEPO gene has low sperm viability than wild type boar, and it is a reason to decrease of fertility and litter size.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.275-279
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• 2009

The beneficial effect of glycerol as a cryoprotectant, especially for sperm cryopreservation, has been shown in many studies. However, glycerol is toxic to living cells, and boar sperm in particular show greater sensitivity to glycerol than sperm from other domestic animals. Amides have been studied as alternative cryoprotectants for freezing stallion sperm. Sperm frozen in methylformamide or dimethylformamide as cryoprotectants show similar motility when thawed compared with sperm frozen in glycerol. We evaluated the cryoprotective effects of dimethylformamide on boar sperm freezing. To test the effect of amides, the concentration of boar semen was adjusted to $10^9sperm/mL$, and seminal plasma was removed using Hulsen solution. After centrifugation, the pellet was diluted in modified-Modena B extender. Lactose-egg yolk (LEY) extender was used as the cooling extender. The freezing extender was madeed aaddition of the optimal amount of glycerol and amides to LEY-Glycerol-Orvus ES Paste extender, and this extender was used for the second dilution. Diluted sperm were frozen in liquid nitrogen using the 0.5 mL straw method. Sperm frozen in extender with glycerol as a cderol were compared with those frozen in extender including the different amides. Sperm were tested for motility, viability, the sperm chromatin structure assay, and normal apical ridge after thawing. The percent of motile sperm diluted in glycerol was as high as that in the stallion study (61%). Dimethylformamide showed positive effects on sperm quality and was better than glycerol. Methylformamide provided similar sperm quality as glycerol. Therefore, dimethylformamide is useful for reducing cryoinjury in boar sperm and is expected to be useful as an alternative cryoprotectant.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.337-342
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• 2018

Cryopreservation is mainly used for preservation of boar sperm. However, this method stresses the sperm by reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the conception rate and the litter size are not more efficient than the liquid preservation of spermatozoa. Therefore, we use chitosan which is a natural product derived antioxidant compound. We used GnHA (chitosan+hyaluronic acid) and GnHG (chitosan hydrogel) as chitosan complexes to cryopreserve boar sperm for improve sperm metabolism and function. Sperm parameter (sperm motility, progressive motility, path velocity, straight-line velocity, curvilinear velocity) is measured by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) using frozen sperm with GnHA or GnHG (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1 mg/mL), respectively. Also, lipid peroxidation analysis using malondialdehyde (MDA) is performed to confirm the antioxidative effect of chitosan in frozen spermatozoa. CASA analysis showed GnHA and GnHG are effective against cryopreserved boar sperm. And antioxidant effect is measured by lipid peroxidation analysis. GnHA and GnHG, which is chitosan complex are effective for boar sperm cryopreservation by antioxidant effect.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제27권10호
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• pp.1417-1425
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• 2014

The selection of morphologically normal spermatozoa is critical to obtain high breeding performances in boar breeding farms and artificial insemination (AI) centers. Parameters for the selection of semen mainly include total sperm motility, concentration, and morphology. However, these primary parameters are often not reliable for discriminating between normal and abnormal, non-fertilizable spermatozoa. The present study was designed to compare the motion characteristics, fertilization ability using in vitro fertilization (IVF), and acrosome formation of the semen from boars having low (boar number 2012) and normal (boar number 2004 and 2023) breeding performances. The ultimate goal was to identify additional simple and easy criteria for the selection of normal sperm. There was no significant difference between boar 2004 and boar 2023 sperm total motility in computer assisted sperm analysis. However, boar number 2012 semen presented a significantly reduced population of rapid moving spermatozoa and an increased population of slow moving spermatozoa compared to boar numbers 2004 and 2023. Analysis of detailed motion characteristics revealed that sperm from boar number 2012 had significantly reduced motility in progressiveness, average path velocity, straight-line velocity (VSL), curvilinear velocity (VCL), straightness, and linearity. The assessment of the fertilizing ability by IVF also showed that sperm from boar number 2012 showed a fertility rate of 3.4%, whereas sperm from boar number 2023 had a fertility rate of 75.45%. Interestingly, most of the sperm nuclei were found on the peripheral area of the oocytes, suggesting that the sperm from boar number 2012 lacked penetration ability into the oocyte zonapellucida. The acrosome formation analysis using Pisum sativum agglutinin staining demonstrated that the sperm from boar number 2012 had a defect in acrosome formation. Consequently, primary parameters for selecting semen before AI such as motility are not sufficient to select normal and fertilizable spermatozoa. In conclusion, the present study suggests that the acrosome staining and detailed motion characteristics such as progressiveness, VCL, and VSL should be included in determining semen quality together with primary parameters for successful AI and high breeding performance in the swine industry.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.435-450
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• 1992

To evaluate the fertilizing capacity of domestic animal spermatozoa by hamster test, semen were collected from 15 boars(Duroc, Landrace, and Yorkshire) and 2 mixed dogs which had been proved to be fertile in the past then, the semen were preserved in BWW medium at $4^{\circ}C$ or $18^{\circ}C$ for about 20 hours and coincubated with zona-free hamster ova for 5 hours. The ova were stained by lacmoid and examined under phase contrast microscope to investigate the rates of sperm binding to the ova, penetration and formation of a male pronucleus, and the numbers of both bound and penetrated sperm per ovum. Both the semen preserved at $18^{\circ}C$ for about 20 hours and that treated by swim up procedure showed considerably higher rates of sperm binding and penetration as well as higher number of penetrated sperm than that preserved at $4^{\circ}C$ for about 20 hours, respectively(p<0.01). Motility of boar sperm at insemination was from 40 to 90% and no difference in hamster test was obtained according to different degree of sperm motility. Abnormality in morphology of boar sperm at insemination was from 6 to 45% and no difference in hamster test was obtained according to different degree of sperm abnormality. The sperm concentrations of $7{\times}10^7$ and $7{\times}10^6$ showed considerably higher rates of sperm binding and penetration as well as higher number of bound sperm than that of $7{\times}10^4$ (p<0.01) along with the same higher results than that of $7{\times}10^5$(0<0.05), respectively. Boar sperm showed considerably higher rates of sperm binding and penetration as well as higher numbers of both bound and penetrated sperm than dog sperm, when both semen were treated by BWW＋heparin medium and swim up procedure, respectively. These results indicated that fertile boar sperm showed considerably lower rates in the results of hamster test, when preserved at $4^{\circ}C$ for about 20 hours and in lower concentration of sperm than when preserved at $18^{\circ}C$ for about 20 hours and in higher concentration of sperm, respectively, and at the same time considerably higher results than fertile dog sperm, consequently to prove that hamster test would be of great value in assaying the fertilizing capacity of boar sperm.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제33권11호
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• pp.1763-1769
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• 2020

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of L-carnitine on the pig semen characteristics during storage. Methods: Spermatozoa samples were examined for spermatozoa quality and then randomly divided into 5 groups: 0 (control), 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 mM L-carnitine. Sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity and antioxidant parameters (total reactive oxygen species, total antioxidant capacity, and malondialdehyde) were evaluated after 0, 3, 5, and 10 day cooled-storage at 17℃. Moreover, ATP content, mitochondria activity as well as sperm-binding and in vitro fertilizing ability of preserved boar sperm were also investigated. Results: Supplementation with 50 mM L-carnitine could effectively maintain boar sperm quality parameters such as sperm motility and membrane integrity. Besides, we found that L-carnitine had positive effects on boar sperm quality mainly through improving antioxidant capacities and enhancing ATP content and mitochondria activity. Interestingly, by assessing the effect of L-carnitine on sperm fertility and developmental potential, we discovered that the extender containing L-carnitine could improve sperm quality and increase the number of sperms bounding to zona pellucida, without improving in vitro fertility and development potential. Conclusion: These findings suggested that the proper addition of L-carnitine to the semen extender improved boar sperm quality during liquid storage at 17℃.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.395-401
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• 2019

Phthalate는 내분비 교란물질로 호르몬의 변화, 에스토젠, 앤드로젠, 갑상선 호르몬의 분비를 방해한다. 또한, 인간과 동물에서 심혈관질환, 대사작용, 면역 및 번식체계에 영향을 끼친다. Curcumin은 항산화물질로 항염증 활성 및 항암작용에 영향을 미치는 것으로 알려져 있다. 본 연구는 phthalate가 정자의 운동성, 생존율, 미토콘드리아 활성 및 세포막 기능에 미치는 영향을 알아보고자 실시하였다. 또한, curcumin을 처리하여 phthalate에 노출된 정자에 미치는 영향을 분석하였다. 정자의 운동성과 생존율은 di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP) 및 di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP)을 처리하였을 때 감소하였다(p<0.05). Phthalate는 정자의 미토콘드리아 활성 및 세포막의 기능을 감소시켰다(p<0.05). 그러나, 정자의 운동성과 생존율은 curcumin을 처리하지 않은 것보다 처리한 정자에서 높게 나타났으며(p<0.05), 정자의 미토콘드리아 활성 및 세포막 기능에서도 높게 나타났다(p<0.05). 결론적으로, phthalate는 정자의 생존율과 세포의 기능에 영향을 미칠 수 있고, 이로부터 세포의 기능을 보호하기 위해서는 curcumin의 처리가 필요 할 것으로 생각된다.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제40권4호
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• pp.33-37
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• 2016

This study was conducted to evaluate effect of ${\alpha}$-linolenic acid (ALA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) on viability, acrosome reaction and mitochondrial intact in frozen-thawed boar sperm. The boar semen was collected by gloved-hand method and cryopreserved using freezing extender containing 3 ng/mL ALA and/or $20\;{\mu}g/mL$ BSA. Cryo-preserved boar sperms were thawed in $37^{\circ}C$ water-bath for 45 sec to analysis. Viability, acrosome reaction, and mitochondrial intact were analyzed using flow cytometry. In results, viability of frozen-thawed boar sperm was significantly higher in only ALA+BSA supplement group than control group (p<0.05), whereas there was no difference either in ALA or BSA supplement. However, acrosome reacted sperm in both of live and all sperm population were significantly decreased in all treatment groups than control (p<0.05). Interestingly, mitochondrial intact of boar sperm was enhanced in ALA and ALA+BSA groups compared with control (p<0.05). In this study, we showed that supplementation of ALA and BSA in freezing extender enhanced the sperm viability, mitochondrial intact and decrease acrosomal membrane damage. In conclusion, our findings suggest that quality of frozen-thawed sperm in mammalians could improve by using of ALA and BSA.