Abstract
The present study was undertaken to assess the effect of taurine on sperm motility, viability, total sperm abnormalities, acrosomal and plasma membrane integrity, enzymatic profiles such as reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT), and biochemical profiles such as cholesterol efflux and malondialdehyde (MDA) production. A total of 50 ejaculates were collected twice a week from 8 mithun bulls, and semen was split into 4 equal aliquots and diluted with the TEYC extender. Group 1: semen was without additives (control); groups 2 to 4: semen was diluted with 25 mM, 50 mM, and 100 mM of taurine, respectively. Seminal parameters and enzymatic and biochemical profiles were assessed at 5°C. Inclusion of taurine into diluent resulted in significant (P < 0.05) decreases in percentages of dead spermatozoa, abnormal spermatozoa, and acrosomal abnormalities after liquid storage compared with the control group. Additionally, taurine at 50 mM has significant improvement in quality of mithun semen than taurine at 25 or 100 mM stored in in vitro at 5°C. It was concluded that the possible protective effects of taurine on sperm parameters are from enhancing the function of antioxidant enzymes, preventing efflux of cholesterol from cell membranes and decreased MDA production.
Highlights
Mithun (Bos frontalis) is a semiwild free-ranging, rare bovine species present in the North-Eastern Hill (NEH) region of India
Results revealed that inclusion of taurine into diluent resulted in decreases (P < 0.05) in percentages of dead spermatozoa, abnormal spermatozoa, and acrosomal abnormalities when semen samples were examined at different hours of storage periods compared with the control group
Cholesterol efflux (Figure 3) and MDA production (Figure 2) differed significantly between the taurine treated and control and were lower in the taurine treated group. It was obvious from the data of this experiment that addition of taurine, especially at 50 mM, to the semen diluent resulted in significant improvement in quality, antioxidant enzymatic activity, and reduction of cholesterol efflux and MDA production of mithun semen stored in vitro at 5∘C
Summary
Mithun (Bos frontalis) is a semiwild free-ranging, rare bovine species present in the North-Eastern Hill (NEH) region of India. It is believed to have originated more than 8000 years ago from the wild Indian gaur (Bos gaurus) [1]. The animal has an important place in the social, cultural, religious, and economic life of the tribal population, in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram [2]. Recent statistics indicate that the mithun population is decreasing gradually due to lack of suitable breeding bulls, increased intensive inbreeding practices, declining land area for grazing, lack of suitable breeding, and feeding management. Greater efforts are required from all quarters to preserve the mithun population to enhance the socioeconomic status of this region. Since mithuns are not fully domesticated, natural breeding is practiced in this species with accompanied limitations like cost and disease transmission.
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