Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is known to be a natural antioxidant. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the cryoprotective effect of ALA on the motility of boar spermatozoa and its antioxidant effect on boar spermatozoa during freezing-thawing. Different concentrations (2.0, 4.0, 6.0, 8.0 or 10.0 mg/ml) of ALA were added to the extender used to freeze boar semen, and the effects on the quality and endogenous antioxidant enzyme activities of frozen-thawed spermatozoa were assessed. The results indicated that the addition of ALA to the extender resulted in a higher percentage of motile spermatozoa post-thaw (P < 0.05). The activities of superoxide dismutase, lactate dehydrogenase, glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase and catalase improved after adding ALA to the extender (P < 0.05). Artificial insemination results showed that pregnancy rate and litter size were significantly higher at 6.0 mg/ml in the ALA group than in the control group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, ALA conferred a cryoprotective capacity to the extender used for boar semen during the process of freezing-thawing, and the optimal concentration of ALA for the frozen extender was 6.0 mg/ml.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0967199415000155 | DOI Listing |
BMC Genomics
December 2024
Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
Background: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are essential for cell-to-cell communication because they transport functionally active molecules, including proteins, RNA, and lipids, from secretory cells to nearby or distant target cells. Seminal plasma contains a large number of EVs (sEVs) that are phenotypically heterogeneous. The aim of the present study was to identify the RNA species contained in two subsets of porcine sEVs of different sizes, namely small sEVs (S-sEVs) and large sEVs (L-sEVs).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTheriogenology
December 2024
Shanghai Key Laboratory for Veterinary and Biotechnology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China. Electronic address:
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a natural antioxidant, plays a vital role in modulating sperm function, yet its protective impact on boar spermatozoa during liquid preservation at 4 °C remains elusive. This study aimed to investigate the beneficial effects of EGCG on boar semen preservation, and elucidate the potential mechanism. Multiple parameters including sperm quality, anti-oxidative status, protein phosphorylation levels, membrane receptor and cyclic adenosine monophosphate/protein kinase A (cAMP/PKA) signaling pathways were analyzed using computer-assisted semen analysis system, Western blot and molecular docking techniques.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur J Cell Biol
December 2024
INRAE, CNRS, University of Tours, Physiologie de la Reproduction et des comportements, Center INRAE Val-de-Loire, Nouzilly, France. Electronic address:
After insemination, a subpopulation of sperm reaches the oviducts and binds to isthmic epithelial cells to form a "sperm reservoir". Our objective was to explore the role of annexin A5 (ANXA5), a protein that binds with high affinity to phosphatidylserine (PS), in the formation of the sperm reservoir in pigs. Phosphatidylserine was detected on the head of approximately 10 % of boar sperm at ejaculation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
December 2024
Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources (Pig) Evaluation and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affair, Yuelushan Laboratory, College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.
In the context of modern pig farming, the central role of boars is underscored by large-scale centralized breeding and the widespread application of artificial insemination techniques. However, previous studies and breeding programs have focused mainly on product efficiency traits, such as growth rate, lean meat yield, and litter size, often neglecting boar semen traits. In this study, we estimated the genetic parameters and assessed the genomic prediction accuracy of boar semen traits with phenotypes evaluated from 274,332 ejections in a large population consisting of 2467 Duroc boars.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGen Comp Endocrinol
December 2024
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Animal Science, Lincoln, NE 68583-0908, United States. Electronic address:
The second form of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH-II) and its receptor (GnRHR-II) are abundantly produced within the porcine testis and immunolocalize within the seminiferous tubules, suggesting a role in spermatogenesis and/or sperm function. The objective of this study was to quantify GnRH-II and GnRHR-II abundance within boar reproductive tract tissues and examine their role in porcine sperm function. Immunoblotting revealed GnRHR-II abundance was 12-fold greater (P < 0.
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