Composition of Stallion Seminal Plasma and Its Impact on Oxidative Stress Markers and Spermatozoa Quality.

Filip Tirpák,Peter Massányi,Norbert Lukáč,Anton Kováčik,Andrea Svoradová,Peter Chrenek,Eva Tvrdá,Jaromír Vašíček,Martyna Błaszczyk-Altman,Katarína Tokárová,Lukasz J Binkowski,Marko Halo

doi:10.3390/life11111238

Abstract

The composition of seminal plasma of individual sires varies and so does the fertilizing ability. Micro and macro elements along with seminal enzymes, hormones, proteins, and lipids contained in seminal plasma are essential for the proper physiological function of spermatozoa. However, elevated levels against the normal physiological values, especially in the case of trace metals, result in the production of reactive oxygen species. The deficiency of antioxidants in the seminal plasma that could scavenge free radicals causes an impairment of spermatozoa quality. Ejaculates were obtained from 19 stallions. The fresh semen was analyzed to evaluate qualitative parameters of spermatozoa in terms of the motility, viability, and integrity of DNA. Separated seminal plasma underwent the assessment of the chemical and biochemical composition and RedOx markers. Based on the obtained concentrations of individual chemical elements, the correlation analysis suggested a negative impact of Cu in seminal plasma on the SOD, GPx, and LPO. Contrary, positive correlation was detected between FRAP and motility features. While Cu negatively correlated with sperm motion parameters, the adverse effect on viability was suggested for Cd. Our data suggest that seminal plasma has a potential due to its availability to become the potential biomarker of the reproductive health of farm animals.

Highlights

Seminal plasma (SP), the product of testes, epididymides, and accessory sex glands, is a fluid released during ejaculation and representing up to 98% of the voluminous stallion ejaculate
Progressive motility in the initial measurement showed 22.20%, but in PRO_1, it was raised by almost ten percentual points to 32.57%
Determination of live, apoptotic, and dead spermatozoa was performed by flow cytometry, using fluorescent probes AnV-FITC and propidium iodide (PI)

Summary

Introduction

Seminal plasma (SP), the product of testes, epididymides, and accessory sex glands, is a fluid released during ejaculation and representing up to 98% of the voluminous stallion ejaculate. More concentrated than in the blood plasma, ensures the activity of seminal enzymes. A low level of magnesium is associated with premature ejaculation [9]. Some trace elements such as zinc, selenium, iron, etc., avoid the general bias about the necessarily negative effect of heavy metals. Iron, manganese, and nickel are the main metal cofactors forming three major families of superoxide dismutase (SOD), which belongs among the most abundant antioxidant enzymes in mammalian seminal plasma [3]. A low level of ROS is crucially involved in the spermatozoa capacitation, hyperactivation, acrosome reaction, and sperm–egg fusion [16]. It is necessary to distinguish between the effects of SP on spermatozoa during the natural mating or in the process of artificial insemination

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion