Cryotolerance of equine spermatozoa correlates with specific fatty acid pattern: A pilot study.
Abstract: Sperm cryopreservation represents a powerful tool for horse breeding. To improve the efficiency of artificial insemination in the horse using cryopreserved spermatozoa, an adequate understanding of the underlying biophysical properties that affect sperm cryosurvival needs to be reached yet. In this pilot study, we described isolation and analysis of the main fatty acids from sperms of stallions classified as good and poor freezers (7 GF and 5 PF, according to sperm motility and viability, before and after cryopreservation). Fatty acid profiles were only assessed in pre-thaw sperms. Eight main fatty acids were identified, using gas chromatography, and their contents were expressed as percentage of the total lipid content. We found that lauric, myristic and oleic acid (C12:0, C14:0 and C18:1n9c) turned out to be about 2-fold more abundant in the sperm cells of the GFs compared with PFs. Moreover, we described for the first time the presence of a very high amount of a trans geometrical isomer of linoleic acid, linolelaidic acid (C18:2n6t), in pre-thaw PF spermatozoa. Notably, we found in fresh sperms of PF stallions a ratio of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids which was twice that of those of GF group, suggesting a positive effect of a high saturated-to-unsaturated fatty acid ratio for the "freezability" of equine spermatozoa. Finally, principal component analysis (PCA) confirmed the relationships between specific fatty acids and cryotolerance of equine spermatozoa, also providing a graphical classification and additional information about the dominant variables governing the classification process.
Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2021-06-08 PubMed ID: 34146973DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2021.06.004Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This study explores the link between the composition of fatty acids in horse sperm and their ability to survive, or ‘cryotolerate’, the freezing process. Researchers identified certain fatty acids that were more dominant in the sperm of stallions that successfully endure freezing, suggesting that this may inform future improvements to horse breeding through artificial insemination.
Sperm Cryopreservation and Horse Breeding
- The method of freezing and storing sperm, known as sperm cryopreservation, is useful tool in horse breeding.
- Cryopreserved sperm allows for breeding and artificial insemination to take place irrespective of geographical barriers and breeding seasons.
- However, not all sperm survive the freeze-thaw process well. Hence, understanding the properties that impact sperm cryosurvival proves essential to improving the efficiency of artificial insemination.
Method and Findings of the Study
- In this study, researchers analyzed the main fatty acids present in the sperm of stallions that displayed good and poor freezing properties (GF and PF respectively).
- These properties were determined based on sperm motility and viability both before and after the freeze-thaw process.
- A total of eight main fatty acids were identified through gas chromatography, with their presence expressed as a percentage of total lipid content.
- It was discovered that lauric, myristic, and oleic acid were approximately twice as abundant in the sperm cells of GF stallions compared to those in PF stallions.
- In the sperm cells of PF stallions, a geometrically trans isomer of linoleic acid, called linolelaidic acid, was found in high amounts for the first time.
Role of Fatty Acid Composition in Sperm Cryotolerance
- Interestingly, it was observed that the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids in the fresh sperm of PF stallions was twice that of GF stallions.
- This indicated that a higher proportion of saturated fatty acids compared to unsaturated fatty acids may positively impact the ‘freezability’ of equine sperm.
- Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to confirm the correlation between specific fatty acids and the cryotolerance of horse sperm.
- The PCA also provided graphical classification and additional information on the most influential variables in the process.
Significance of the Study
- The findings of this pilot study provide valuable insights into the fatty acid composition and their relative proportions in sperm cryotolerance.
- This information can potentially be utilized to improve the success rate of artificial insemination in horses by enhancing sperm cryopreservation methods.
- However, as a pilot study, further research is needed to fully understand and capitalize on this relationship.
Cite This Article
APA
Oddi S, Carluccio A, Ciaramellano F, Mascini M, Bucci R, Maccarrone M, Robbe D, Dainese E.
(2021).
Cryotolerance of equine spermatozoa correlates with specific fatty acid pattern: A pilot study.
Theriogenology, 172, 88-94.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2021.06.004 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, 64100, Italy; European Center for Brain Research (CERC)/Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, 00143, Italy. Electronic address: soddi@unite.it.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, 64100, Italy.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, 64100, Italy.
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, 64100, Italy.
- Department of Applied Clinical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, 64100, Italy. Electronic address: drobbe@unite.it.
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy. Electronic address: edainese@unite.it.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cryopreservation / veterinary
- Fatty Acids
- Horses
- Male
- Pilot Projects
- Semen Preservation / veterinary
- Sperm Motility
- Spermatozoa
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of competing interest The authors declared no conflict of interest.
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Xu Z, Yang Z, Bao L, Lu B, Li X, Zhan X, Huang X, Liu Y. Coenzyme Q10 Improves the Post-Thaw Sperm Quality in Dwarf Surfclam Mulinia lateralis. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024 Sep 4;13(9).
- Suo J, Wang J, Zheng Y, Xiao F, Li R, Huang F, Niu P, Zhu W, Du X, He J, Gao Q, Khan A. Recent advances in cryotolerance biomarkers for semen preservation in frozen form-A systematic review. PLoS One 2024;19(5):e0303567.
- Ďuračka M, Benko F, Tvrdá E. Molecular Markers: A New Paradigm in the Prediction of Sperm Freezability. Int J Mol Sci 2023 Feb 8;24(4).
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