• Animal Bioscience
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• 제35권12호
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• pp.1827-1838
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• 2022

Objective: The semen quality of stallions including sperm motility is an important target of selection as it has a high level of individual variability. However, effects of the molecular architecture of the genome on the mechanisms of sperm formation and their preservation after thawing have been poorly investigated. Here, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for the sperm motility of cryopreserved semen in stallions of various breeds. Methods: Semen samples were collected from the stallions of 23 horse breeds. The following semen characteristics were examined: progressive motility (PM), progressive motility after freezing (FPM), and the difference between PM and FPM. The respective DNA samples from these stallions were genotyped using Axiom Equine Genotyping Array. Results: We performed a GWAS search for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and potential genes related to motility properties of frozen-thawed semen in the stallions of various breeds. As a result of the GWAS analysis, two SNP markers, rs1141327473 and rs1149048772, were identified that were associated with preservation of the frozen-thawed stallion sperm motility, the relevant putative candidate genes being NME/NM23 family member 8 (NME8), olfactory receptor family 2 subfamily AP member 1 (OR2AP1), and olfactory receptor family 6 subfamily C member 4 (OR6C4). Potential implications of effects of these genes on sperm motility are herein discussed. Conclusion: The GWAS results enabled us to localize novel SNPs and candidate genes for sperm motility in stallions. Implications of the study for horse breeding and genetics are a better understanding of genomic regions and candidate genes underlying stallion sperm quality, and improvement in horse reproduction and breeding techniques. The identified markers and genes for sperm cryotolerance and the respective genomic regions are promising candidates for further studying the biological processes in the formation and function of the stallion reproductive system.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제30권5호
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• pp.622-637
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• 2017

Fatty acids such as n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are critical nutrients, used to improve male reproductive performance through modification of fatty acid profile and maintenance of sperm membrane integrity, especially under cold shock or cryopreservation condition. Also, PUFA provide the precursors for prostaglandin synthesis and can modulate the expression patterns of many key enzymes involved in both prostaglandin and steroid metabolism. Many studies carried out on diets supplemented with PUFA have demonstrated their capability to sustain sperm motility, viability and fertility during chilling and freezing as well as improving testis development and spermatogenesis in a variety of livestock species. In addition to the type and quantity of dietary fatty acids, ways of addition of PUFA to diet or semen extender is very crucial as it has different effects on semen quality in male ruminants. Limitation of PUFA added to ruminant ration is due to biohydrogenation by rumen microorganisms, which causes conversion of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids, leading to loss of PUFA quantity. Thus, many strategies for protecting PUFA from biohydrogenation in rumen have been developed over the years. This paper reviews four aspects of PUFA in light of previous research including rumen metabolism, biological roles, influence on reproduction, and strategies to use in male ruminants.

• 한국동물생명공학회지
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.55-61
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• 2022

The acrosome cap allows sperm to penetrate the egg membrane and produce male pronuclei within female chicken eggs, facilitating successful fertilization. Given this, it is important to establish practical methods for evaluating the integrity of the acrosome cap and thus the quality of the rooster's sperm. There are several established methods for evaluating the acrosomes of mammalian sperm, but none of these methods are suitable for evaluating the acrosome status of rooster spermatozoa. Therefore, a simplified method for evaluating the rooster acrosome is needed. Here we evaluated the usefulness of CBB (coomassie brilliant blue) staining of the acrosome at concentrations of 0.04%, 0.08%, and 0.3% CBB solutions. Our data revealed a clear staining pattern for intact acrosome caps at 0.04% and 0.08% CBB but not at 0.3% CBB. This protocol revealed differences in acrosome integrity between fresh and frozen rooster sperm smears suggesting that CBB staining may facilitate easier semen evaluation in roosters. This protocol allows for the accurate differential staining of acrosome cap in rooster spermatozoa.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제51권1호
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• pp.13-19
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• 2024

Radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) from various sources may impact health due to the generation of frequency bands. Broad pulses emitted within frequency bands can be absorbed by cells, influencing their function. Numerous laboratory studies have demonstrated that mobile phones-generally the most widely used devices-can have harmful effects on sex cells, such as sperm and oocytes, by producing RF-EMR. Moreover, some research has indicated that RF-EMR generated by mobile phones can influence sperm parameters, including motility, morphology, viability, and (most critically) DNA structure. Consequently, RF-EMR can disrupt both sperm function and fertilization. However, other studies have reported that exposure of spermatozoa to RF-EMR does not affect the functional parameters or genetic structure of sperm. These conflicting results likely stem from differences among studies in the duration and exposure distance, as well as the species of animal used. This report was undertaken to review the existing research discussing the effects of RF-EMR on the DNA integrity of mammalian spermatozoa.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제36권12호
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• pp.1796-1805
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• 2023

Objective: This study aims to identify heat shock protein70-2 (HSP70-2) and protamine-1 (PRM1) mRNA and protein in Madura bull sperm and demonstrate their relation as bull fertility biomarkers. Methods: The Madura bull fertility rates were grouped based on the percentage of first service conception rate (%FSCR) as high fertility (HF) (79.04%; n = 4), and low fertility (LF) (65.84%; n = 4). mRNA of HSP70-2 and PRM1 with peptidylprolyl isomerase A (PPIA) as a housekeeping gene were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, while enzyme-linked immunoassay was used to measure protein abundance. In the post-thawed semen samples, sperm motility, viability, acrosome integrity, and sperm DNA fragmentation index were analyzed. Data analysis was performed on the measured parameters of semen quality, relative mRNA expression, and protein abundance of HSP70-2 and PRM1, among the bulls with various fertility levels (HF and LF) in a one-way analysis of variance analysis. The Pearson correlation was used to analyze the relationship between semen quality, mRNA, proteins, and fertility rate. Results: Relative mRNA expression and protein abundance of HSP70-2 and PRM1 were detected and were found to be highly expressed in bulls with HF (p<0.05) and were associated with several parameters of semen quality. Conclusion: HSP70-2 and PRM1 mRNA and protein molecules have great potential to serve as molecular markers for determining bull fertility.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제51권1호
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• pp.48-56
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• 2024

Objective: This study investigated the relationship of anthropometric and metabolic risk factors with seminal and sex steroidal hormone parameters in a screened population of healthy males. Methods: The participants were healthy young men without chronic or congenital diseases. The body composition parameters that we investigated were measured weight, height, and waist circumference (WC), as well as bioelectrical impedance analysis. Semen samples were analyzed for semen volume, sperm concentration, sperm motility and morphology, seminal pH, and liquefaction time. Biochemistry analysis, including glucose and lipid metabolism parameters, was conducted on fasting blood samples. Testicular volume was calculated separately for each testis using ultrasonography. Results: Body mass index exhibited an inverse association with total sperm count. WC showed negative correlations with numerous seminal parameters, including sperm concentration, total sperm count, sperm morphology, and follicle-stimulating hormone levels. The basal metabolic rate was associated with seminal pH, liquefaction time, and sperm motility. WC, fat mass percentage, and triglyceride levels exhibited negative correlations with sex hormone binding globulin. The measures of glucose metabolism were associated with a greater number of seminal parameters than the measures of cholesterol metabolism. C-reactive protein levels were inversely associated with sperm concentration and total sperm count. Conclusion: Anthropometric and metabolic risk factors were found to predict semen quality and alterations in sex steroidal hormone levels.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.99-105
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• 2009

Curcumin is a major active component of the food flovour tumeric. It has been used for the treatment of many diseases such as inflammatory and infectious diseases, cancer and other disease due to its antioxidant properties. Curcumin is a powerful scavenger of many free radicals such as superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical and nitric oxide. The objective of this study was to investigate the antioxidative effects of curcumin against hydrogen peroxide on semen quality during in vitro storage of boar semen. The sperm treated with different concentration of curcumin (1, 5 and 10 ${\mu}M$) in the presence or absence of hydrogen peroxide (250 ${\mu}M\;H_2O_2$) were incubated for 3, 6 and 9 hr at $37^{\circ}C$ and analyzed sperm characteristics such as motility, membrane integrity (MI), lipid peroxidation (LPO), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and DNA fragmentation (DF). The sperm motility and MI in $H_2O_2$ treated group ($47.8%{\pm}6.8$ and $24.8%{\pm}2.2$) were significantly decreased when compare to curcumin treated group ($79.8%{\pm}2.7$ and $34.6%{\pm}1.0$, respectively) irrespective of incubation periods(p<0.05). The LPO of spermatozoal plasma membrane was measured by thiobarbituric acid (TBA) reactions for malondialdehyde (MDA), MDA level in control ($11.6{\pm}0.6\;nmol/L{\times}10^6$) and curcumin groups ($10.7{\pm}0.3\;nmol/L{\times}10^6$) were lower than those of curcumin plus $H_2O_2$ ($17.1{\pm}0.8\;nmol/L{\times}10^6$) or $H_2O_2$ group ($22.5{\pm}1.9\;nmol/L{\times}10^6$) from 3 to 9 hr incubation periods. The DF by sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) test and ROS production measured by 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein (DCF) fluorescence intensity were no significantly difference through all experimental groups (p>0.05). Correlation among evaluation methods for sperm quality, motility vs MI and DF vs ROS was positively correlated while motility vs DF and ROS vs LPO were negatively correlated in all treatment groups. These results demonstrate that curcumin can effectively improve the sperm quality during in vitro storage of boar semen through its hydrogen peroxide scavenging mechanism as an antioxidant.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.163-169
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• 2001

본 연구는 마우스 정자-난자 결합분석 법(oocytes-sperm binding assay; OSBA)을 이용하여 단백질원, 배양액의 질, 난자의 성숙도에 따라서 정자와 난자의 결합능력을 알아보고 그 유용성을 알아보기 위하여 실시하였다. 4~5주령의 hybrid(C57BL/6 $\times$ CBA/N) F$_1$ 암컷에서 회수된 미수정란에 0.1% hyaluronidase를 이용하여 난구세포를 제거하였으며, 제1극체의 존재유무에 따라 Met. II(mature)와 Met. I(intermediate mature)로 구분하였다. 암컷과 동일 계통의 8주령 이상 된 수컷에서 회수된 정소상체 미부정자를 37$^{\circ}C$에서 10분간 배양하였다. 배양된 정자부유액은 단백원 무첨가배양액과 1:5로 희석하여 10분간 배양한 다음 3 ${\mu}\ell$를 10$\pm$2개의 난자를 들어있는 배양액 소적(30 ${\mu}\ell$)에 넣어서 정자와 난자의 결합을 유도하였다. 정자 주입 후 3시간 혹은 24시간째에 난자를 뽑아내어 세척하였으며, 도립현미경(100$\times$)에서 난자에 부착된 정자의 수를 세었다. 수정란을 이용한 정도관리를 위하여 과배란이 유도된 암컷은 수컷과 합사시켰으며, hCG 주사 16~18시간째에 전핵기의 1세포 수정란을 회수하였다. 단백질원의 종류에 대한 효과를 확인하기 위하여 OSBA를 실시한 결과, 수정 3시간째에 난자당 하나 이상의 정자가 부착된 난자의 비율은 BSA첨가군, 무첨가군, FBS 첨가군의 순으로 유의한 차이를 나타내었다(100% vs. 60.2% vs. 2.1%). 한편, BSA 첨가군에서 정자의 결합능력이 우수하였으나 FBS는 매우 유해하였으며 FBS의 농도가 5%까지는 증가함에 따라 유의한 차이를 나타내었다. 따라서 투명대에 정자가 부착에 있어서 단백원이 매우 중요한 역할을 하며, OSBA는 정자와 난자의 결합에 결정적인 영향을 미칠 수 있는 배양조건을 명확히 판별할 수 있음을 시사하였다. Met. II(mature)와 Met. I(intermediate mature) 난자를 단백원 무첨가, 15% FBS, 0.4% BSA 및 10% AF(양수)가 첨가된 Ham's F-10 배양액에서 OSBA를 실시한 결과, 난자의 성숙도에 상관없이 정자의 결합능력은 비슷한 양상을 보였으며, BSA첨가군, 양수첨가군, 무첨가군, FBS첨가군 순으로 높게 나타났다. 이러한 결과는 OSBA에서 Met. II 난자 대신에 Met. I난자를 이용해도 비슷한 결과를 얻을 수 있음을 시사한다. 생쥐 1세포기배에서 배반포까지의 배발달율을 기준으로 Ham's F-10배양액을 평가하여 일련번호 151은 불량(poor), 152는 양호(good)로 판정한 다음, 동일한 배양액에 OSBA를 실시한 결과 생쥐 1세포기배의 결과와 마찬가지로 일련번호 152 배양액이 151 배양액보다 유의하게 높게 나타났다. 따라서 OSBA는 기존의 정도관리 방법과 동일한 효과를 기대할 수 있을 것이다. 결론적으로, OSBA는 배양액 조건에 따라 정자의 결합능력이 다르다는 것을 보여주었으며, 정토관리 방법으로서의 유용성을 확인시켜 주었다. 또한 쉽게 준비할 수 있는 생쥐의 난자와 정자를 이용하였으며, 배양시간이 3시간으로 짧고, 평가방법이 간편해 시간적, 경제적으로도 효율성이 높다고 사료된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.53-60
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• 2006

목 적: 보조생식술에서의 정자처리법으로서 인간 난포액을 이용한 swim-down 방법의 유용성을 확인해 보고자 하였다. 연구방법: 분당서울대학교병원 산부인과에서 불임평가 목적으로 정액검사를 시행할 때 정자무력증 (asthenozoospermia, sperm motility < 50%)을 보이는 12명의 남성을 대상으로 하였다. 이들에서 검사 후 남은 정액을 100% 인간 난포액을 이용한 swim-down법과 SpermGrad를 이용한 밀도차 분리법을 적용하여 각각 처리하고 컴퓨터 정액분석기를 이용하여 정액검사를 시행하였다. 결 과: 두 군 모두에서 운동성과 빠른 운동성 정자의 비율, VCL (curvilinear velocity), ALH (amplitude of lateral head displacement)치 및 과활동성 정자의 비율이 통계적으로 유의하게 상승하였고 LIN (mean linearity)치는 유의하게 감소하였다. 100% 인간 난포액을 이용한 swim-down법에서 정자의 운동성이 SpermGrad를 이용한 밀도차분리법에 비하여 유의하게 높게 나타났으며 ($81.2{\pm}4.7$ vs. $67.6{\pm}2.3$, p=0.02), 다른 변수들은 두 군에서 차이를 보이지 않았다. 결 론: 100% 인간 난포액을 이용한 swim-down법은 정자무력증을 보이는 경우 유용한 정자 처리법으로 사료된다.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.229-235
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• 2010

The MTT assay is one of superior evaluation methods widely used to analyze the viability of metabolically active cell. It can be used to determine the percentage of viable sperm through measurement of the reduction of MTT granules at mitochondria in sperm tail. The purpose of this study is to determine the optimal condition of a simple and easy MTT assay to validate boar sperm viability and compare the accuracy of this test with microscopic examination. The MTT reduction rate for sperm viability were analyzed in microtiter plates (96 well) from 1 hr to 5 hr incubation periods at $37^{\circ}C$ using spectrophotometer (microplate reader) at 550 nm wavelength. The remainder of semen sample was simultaneously examined to compare the correlation of accuracy between MTT assay and other sperm parameters. Those sperm parameters were included the motility, survival rates, membrane integrity, mitochondria activity and acrosome integrity. The OD values of MTT assay (MTT reduction rates) did not greatly change at 1 hr to 5 hr incubation periods in different proportion of live and freeze-killed sperms (dead sperm). The MTT reduction rates or survival rates were decreased according to the different concentration of live and dead sperm. The linear regression at 1 hr and 4 hr incubation periods in sperm MTT assay was y=291.55x-72.176 and y= 180.64x-44.569, respectively. There are high correlation between 1 hr and 4 hr incubation periods (p<0.001). The results of MTT assay and other sperm parameters has a positive correlation (p<0.01 or 0.05). The correlation coefficients for MTT assay was 0.88115 for motility, 0.89868 for survival rates, 0.91722 for membrane integrity and 0.77372 for acrosome integrity, respectively. In conclusion, the MTT assay can be used as a reliable and efficient evaluation method for boar sperm viability. It can be use practical means to evaluate the quality of boar sperm by a fast, inexpensive and easy method.