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Johannisson A, Morrell JM, Ntallaris T. A combination of biomarkers for predicting stallion sperm fertility. Vet Res Commun 2024:10.1007/s11259-024-10372-6. [PMID: 38652412 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-024-10372-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Equine breeding would benefit greatly from reliable biomarkers of stallion or ejaculate fertility. The aim of the study was to investigate how several in vitro sperm characteristics correlate with fertility after artificial insemination, to explore the potential to build a fertility prediction model for stallions. Cooled insemination doses (3-5 per stallion) were obtained from various studs. Sperm membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, chromatin integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, and reactive oxygen species production were evaluated by flow cytometry 24-30 h after semen collection, and sperm motility was assessed by computer aided sperm analysis. Calcein violet was used to differentiate viable spermatozoa. Per season pregnancy rates for these stallions were available the following year. Positive correlations were found between pregnancy rate and straightness (r = 0.43, p ≤ 0.001), as well as pregnancy rate and the proportion of living hydrogen peroxide positive spermatozoa (r = 0.32, p ≤ 0.05). There were negative correlations between pregnancy rate and amplitude of lateral head displacement (r = -0.26, p ≤ 0.05), and between pregnancy rate and the mean fluorescence of dead superoxide positive spermatozoa (r = -0.46, p < 0.001). Principal component analysis indicated that motility, membrane integrity, DNA fragmentation, and reactive oxygen species production were associated with pregnancy rate. Therefore, a combination of these factors could be used as a biomarker of fertility when assessing ejaculates. However, data from more individuals would be required to construct a model for fertility prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Johannisson
- Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jane M Morrell
- Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Theodoros Ntallaris
- Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden
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Hernández-Avilés C, Ramírez-Agámez L, Varner DD, Love CC. Factors affecting the analysis and interpretation of sperm quality in frozen/thawed stallion semen. Theriogenology 2024; 218:35-44. [PMID: 38295678 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.01.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
In the current study, we examined: 1) the agreement (bias) between fluorescence-based methods (NucleoCounter-SP100 [NC] vs. flow cytometry [FC]) for determining the viability (VIAB) of frozen/thawed stallion sperm; 2) the agreement between post-thaw sperm total motility (TMOT) and VIAB; 3) whether a difference between TMOT and VIAB [VIAB - TMOT] in frozen/thawed stallion sperm could be explained by the level of lipid peroxidation in viable sperm (VLPP); 4) the repeatability of post-thaw analysis of sperm quality; and 5) the effect of final post-thaw semen dilution (10, 30, or 50 x 106 sperm/mL) on sperm motion characteristics. Post-thaw VIAB was similar between NC and FC (P > 0.05), and the agreement between these two methods was high (bias: 1 to -3). The agreement between post-thaw TMOT and VIAB decreased as the pre-freeze percentages of morphologically normal sperm and DNA quality decreased: bias - 4 to - 25. The bias between [VIAB - TMOT] and VLPP ranged from - 5 to 7. Differences in post-thaw sperm quality (TMOT, PMOT, VIAB, and sperm concentration) were not observed when analyzing one or three straws per ejaculate (P > 0.05). There was no effect of post-thaw sperm concentration (i.e., 10 vs. 30 vs. 50 x 106 sperm/mL) on sperm motion characteristics (P > 0.05). This study reports factors other than post-thaw sperm motility that warrant further consideration when analyzing frozen/thawed stallion sperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilo Hernández-Avilés
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4475, USA.
| | - Luisa Ramírez-Agámez
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4475, USA
| | - Dickson D Varner
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4475, USA
| | - Charles C Love
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4475, USA
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Egyptien S, Deleuze S, Ledeck J, Ponthier J. Sperm Quality Assessment in Stallions: How to Choose Relevant Assays to Answer Clinical Questions. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3123. [PMID: 37835729 PMCID: PMC10571789 DOI: 10.3390/ani13193123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Stallion sperm analysis is indicated for infertility diagnosis, pre-sale expertise, production of fresh or frozen doses, and frozen straw quality control. Various collection methods are described, and numerous assays can be performed on semen. Determining an approach for each of these cases is challenging. This review aims to discuss how to obtain relevant clinical results, answering stallion owners' concerns. Semen can be collected with an artificial vagina on a phantom or a mare, by electro-ejaculation under anesthesia, or after pharmacological induction. The collection method influences the semen volume and concentration, while the total sperm number depends on the testicular production and collection frequency. In the seminal plasma, acidity, pro-oxidant activity, and some enzymes have repercussions for the semen quality and its conservation. Moreover, non-sperm cells of seminal plasma may impact semen conservation. Motility analysis remains a core parameter, as it is associated with fresh or frozen dose fertility. Computer-assisted motility analyzers have improved repeatability, but the reproducibility between laboratories depends on the settings that are used. Morphology analysis showing spermatozoa defects is useful to understand production and maturation abnormalities. Staining of the spermatozoa is used to evaluate viability, but recent advances in flow cytometry and in fluorochromes enable an evaluation of multiple intracellular parameters. Spermatozoa protein expression already has clinical applications, for example, as a fertility and freezing ability predictor. At present, stallion semen analysis ranges from macroscopic evaluation to assessing spermatozoa proteins. However, clinically, all these data may not be relevant, and the lack of standardization may complicate their interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jérôme Ponthier
- Equine Theriogenology, Equine Clinical Sciences Department, FARAH Comparative Veterinary Medicine, Liège University, B-4000 Liège, Belgium; (S.E.); (S.D.); (J.L.)
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Christensen BW, Meyers S. Canine Semen Evaluation and Processing. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 2023:S0195-5616(23)00079-7. [PMID: 37400342 DOI: 10.1016/j.cvsm.2023.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Advances in canine semen evaluation have progressed over time in fits and spurts, interspersed with long periods of relative inactivity. Despite exciting advances in the semen analysis, clinical canine theriogenology has been in a period of relative inactivity for a number of decades since initial advances in canine semen freezing in the mid 20th century. This review describes ways that the clinical practice of canine semen evaluation should improve, given the state of current knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stuart Meyers
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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Zhao Y, Yang J, Lu D, Zhu Y, Liao K, Tian Y, Yin R. The Loss-Function of KNL1 Causes Oligospermia and Asthenospermia in Mice by Affecting the Assembly and Separation of the Spindle through Flow Cytometry and Immunofluorescence. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:2571. [PMID: 36904774 PMCID: PMC10007211 DOI: 10.3390/s23052571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
KNL1 (kinetochore scaffold 1) has attracted much attention as one of the assembly elements of the outer kinetochore, and the functions of its different domains have been gradually revealed, most of which are associated with cancers, but few links have been made between KNL1 and male fertility. Here, we first linked KNL1 to male reproductive health and the loss-function of KNL1 resulted in oligospermia and asthenospermia in mice (an 86.5% decrease in total sperm number and an 82.4% increase in static sperm number, respectively) through CASA (computer-aided sperm analysis). Moreover, we introduced an ingenious method to pinpoint the abnormal stage in the spermatogenic cycle using flow cytometry combined with immunofluorescence. Results showed that 49.5% haploid sperm was reduced and 53.2% diploid sperm was increased after the function of KNL1 was lost. Spermatocytes arrest was identified at the meiotic prophase I of spermatogenesis, which was induced by the abnormal assembly and separation of the spindle. In conclusion, we established an association between KNL1 and male fertility, providing a guide for future genetic counseling regarding oligospermia and asthenospermia, and a powerful method for further exploring spermatogenic dysfunction by utilizing flow cytometry and immunofluorescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuwei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200000, China
| | - Jingmin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200000, China
- Shanghai WeHealth BioMedical Technology Co., Ltd., Shanghai 201318, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Reproductive Health, Chongqing Population and Family Planning Science and Technology Research Institute, Chongqing 404100, China
| | - Daru Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200000, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Reproductive Health, Chongqing Population and Family Planning Science and Technology Research Institute, Chongqing 404100, China
| | - Yijian Zhu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Reproductive Health, Chongqing Population and Family Planning Science and Technology Research Institute, Chongqing 404100, China
| | - Kai Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200000, China
| | - Yafei Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200000, China
- Shanghai WeHealth BioMedical Technology Co., Ltd., Shanghai 201318, China
| | - Rui Yin
- NHC Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Reproductive Health, Chongqing Population and Family Planning Science and Technology Research Institute, Chongqing 404100, China
- Reproductive Medicine Research Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
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Foutouhi A, Hesser A, de la Fuente A, Bulkeley E, Dini P, Meyers S. Sperm parameters in the Great Dane: Influence of age on semen quality. Theriogenology 2023; 197:267-274. [PMID: 36527863 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Not all sires have sperm suitable for chilled or frozen storage, and success in artificial insemination (AI) varies highly among individual dogs and breeds. Fertilizing potential is further complicated as sperm quality declines with the aging process. Due to the rapidity of aging and senescence in large breed dogs, associated health and fertility changes may be observed over a shorter period, though this period remains undefined for any breed. Working with a population of purebred Great Danes (GD), our aims were (1) to characterize the distribution of a series of sperm parameters, (2) to distinguish sources of variation in sperm quality within this rapidly aging breed, and (3) to identify changes in sperm quality that may accompany aging. Ejaculates collected from young, middle-aged, and senior Great Dane dogs (n = 50) were evaluated for semen volume, total sperm number and viability, and reactive oxygen species (ROS), in addition to sperm morphology and kinematic parameters. Total testicular volume was also determined using ultrasonography. Testicular volume was not a predictor of sperm production in the GD, however, significant differences between coat colors were identified. Age was negatively associated with total motility, progressive motility, and amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH) (p < .05). We identified significant relationships between GD male age and TM, PM, and immotility with -9.9%, -9.0%, and +8.3% change per year of age, respectively, which support the anecdotal reports of decline of the fertility with the advance of age in this breed. Sperm of younger GD dogs aged 12 ≤ x < 24 months had significantly higher TM, PM, ALH, and nonlinear motility (p < .05) than older dogs (x ≥ 48 months). High ROS levels were positively associated with TM and PM, average pathway distance (DAP) and straight line distance (DSL), average pathway velocity (VAP), straight line velocity (VSL), and the presence of hairpin tails (p < .05). While age and ROS have significant influences on sperm parameters in the GD, the influence of selection for breed specific phenotypes could help explain the functional significance of the diversity among GD males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azarene Foutouhi
- Departments of Anatomy, Physiology, and Cell Biology, Davis, 95616, USA
| | | | | | - Evelyn Bulkeley
- Departments of Anatomy, Physiology, and Cell Biology, Davis, 95616, USA
| | - Pouya Dini
- Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, 95616, USA
| | - Stuart Meyers
- Departments of Anatomy, Physiology, and Cell Biology, Davis, 95616, USA.
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The stallion sperm acrosome: Considerations from a research and clinical perspective. Theriogenology 2023; 196:121-149. [PMID: 36413868 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
During the fertilization process, the interaction between the sperm and the oocyte is mediated by a process known as acrosomal exocytosis (AE). Although the role of the sperm acrosome on fertilization has been studied extensively over the last 70 years, little is known about the molecular mechanisms that govern acrosomal function, particularly in species other than mice or humans. Even though subfertility due to acrosomal dysfunction is less common in large animals than in humans, the evaluation of sperm acrosomal function should be considered not only as a complementary but a routine test when individuals are selected for breeding potential. This certainly holds true for stallions, which might display lower levels of fertility in the face of "acceptable" sperm quality parameters determined by conventional sperm assays. Nowadays, the use of high throughput technologies such as flow cytometry or mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis is commonplace in the research arena. Such techniques can also be implemented in clinical scenarios of males with "idiopathic" subfertility. The current review focuses on the sperm acrosome, with particular emphasis on the stallion. We aim to describe the physiological events that lead to the acrosome formation within the testis, the role of very specific acrosomal proteins during AE, the methods to study the occurrence of AE under in vitro conditions, and the potential use of molecular biology techniques to discover new markers of acrosomal function and subfertility associated with acrosomal dysfunction in stallions.
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