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Vertebrate reproductive science and technology
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Seminal plasma has limited counteracting effects following induction of oxidative stress in donkey spermatozoa

Marion Papas A , Jaime Catalan A , Sebastián Bonilla-Correal A , Sabrina Gacem A , Jordi Miró A C * and Marc Yeste https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2209-340X B C *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Equine Reproduction Service, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, E-08197 Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Barcelona, Spain.

B Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, E-17003 Girona, Spain.

C Corresponding authors. Email: marc.yeste@udg.edu; jordi.miro@uab.cat

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 32(6) 619-628 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD19192
Submitted: 23 May 2019  Accepted: 17 October 2019   Published: 22 January 2020

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the response of donkey spermatozoa to oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide, and to determine whether the presence of seminal plasma modulates the sperm response to that stress. Nine ejaculates were collected, extended in skim milk extender and split into two aliquots. Seminal plasma was removed from the first but not second aliquot. Samples were subsequently split into four aliquots supplemented with different concentrations of commercial hydrogen peroxide (0, 100 and 250 µM and 50 mM). Aliquots were incubated at 37°C under aerobic conditions and several sperm parameters, namely motility, viability, intracellular levels of peroxides and superoxides and mitochondrial membrane potential, were evaluated at 0, 1 and 3 h. Exposure to hydrogen peroxide markedly decreased sperm motility but had much less of an effect on sperm viability, mitochondrial membrane potential and intracellular reactive oxygen species levels. A protective effect of seminal plasma against the loss of sperm motility was not apparent, but some kinetic parameters and relative levels of superoxides were better maintained when seminal plasma was present together with high concentration of hydrogen peroxide. In conclusion, oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide reduces donkey sperm motility and has a less apparent effect on other sperm parameters. Finally, seminal plasma is only able to partially ameliorate the detrimental effect of this induced stress.

Additional keywords: catalase, glutathione peroxidase, hydrogen peroxide, reactive oxygen species, superoxide dismutase.


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