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Low glucose and high pyruvate reduce the production of 2-oxoaldehydes, improving mitochondrial efficiency, redox regulation, and stallion sperm function†.
Abstract: Energy metabolism in spermatozoa is complex and involves the metabolism of carbohydrate fatty acids and amino acids. The ATP produced in the electron transport chain in the mitochondria appears to be crucial for both sperm motility and maintaining viability, whereas glycolytic enzymes in the flagella may contribute to ATP production to sustain motility and velocity. Stallion spermatozoa seemingly use diverse metabolic strategies, and in this regard, a study of the metabolic proteome showed that Gene Ontology terms and Reactome pathways related to pyruvate metabolism and the Krebs cycle were predominant. Following this, the hypothesis that low glucose concentrations can provide sufficient support for motility and velocity, and thus glucose concentration can be significantly reduced in the medium, was tested. Aliquots of stallion semen in four different media were stored for 48 h at 18°C; a commercial extender containing 67 mM glucose was used as a control. Stallion spermatozoa stored in media with low glucose (1 mM) and high pyruvate (10 mM) (LG-HP) sustained better motility and velocities than those stored in the commercial extender formulated with very high glucose (61.7 ± 1.2% in INRA 96 vs 76.2 ± 1.0% in LG-HP media after 48 h of incubation at 18°C; P < 0.0001). Moreover, mitochondrial activity was superior in LG-HP extenders (24.1 ± 1.8% in INRA 96 vs 51.1 ± 0.7% in LG-HP of spermatozoa with active mitochondria after 48 h of storage at 18°C; P < 0.0001). Low glucose concentrations may permit more efficient sperm metabolism and redox regulation when substrates for an efficient tricarboxylic acid cycle are provided. The improvement seen using low glucose extenders is due to reductions in the levels of glyoxal and methylglyoxal, 2-oxoaldehydes formed during glycolysis; these compounds are potent electrophiles able to react with proteins, lipids, and DNA, causing sperm damage.
© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Society for the Study of Reproduction. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Publication Date: 2021-04-18 PubMed ID: 33864078DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioab073Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research article focuses on the study of energy metabolism in stallion sperm cells and the role of carbohydrate, fatty acids and amino acid metabolism in ensuring sperm motility and viability. The study tests the hypothesis that low glucose concentrations can efficiently support sperm motility and velocity, thus reducing the necessary glucose concentration in the medium. The results suggest that a medium with low glucose and high pyruvate enables better sperm motility and mitochondrial activity.
Understanding the Energy Metabolism in Sperm
- The article delves into the metabolism of carbohydrate fatty acids and amino acids in sperm cells. It emphasizes that ATP, produced in mitochondrial electron transport chain, is crucial for the viability and the motility of sperm cells.
- The article also sheds light on the role of glycolytic enzymes in flagella that potentially contribute to ATP production and sustain motility and velocity.
- Through a study of the metabolic proteome, researchers note that stallion sperm cells utilize various metabolic strategies where terms and pathways related to pyruvate metabolism and the Krebs cycle are prevalent.
Experiment and Hypothesis Testing
- The scientists conducted an experiment to test whether low glucose concentrations could efficiently support sperm motility and velocity. They compared aliquots of stallion semen stored in four different media for 48 hours at 18°C, using a commercial extender with a high glucose concentration as the control.
- The findings revealed that stallion sperms stored in a medium with low glucose and high pyruvate levels (LG-HP) displayed better motility and higher velocities compared to those stored in the commercial extender with high glucose.
- Additionally, the research showed superior mitochondrial activity in sperm stored in the LG-HP medium as they found more active mitochondria in sperm stored in this medium.
The Importance of Glucose Concentrations
- Low glucose concentrations were found to enable more efficient sperm metabolism and redox regulation when substrates for an effective tricarboxylic acid cycle were provided.
- The improvement using low glucose extenders was primarily due to the reduction of glyoxal and methylglyoxal, 2-oxoaldehydes produced during glycolysis. These compounds react adversely with proteins, lipids and DNA, all leading to sperm damage.
- The findings suggest that the balance and concentration of substrate in the sperm storage medium can influence sperm viability, thereby influencing fertility.
Cite This Article
APA
Ortiz-Rodríguez JM, Martín-Cano FE, Gaitskell-Phillips GL, Silva A, Ortega-Ferrusola C, Gil MC, Peña FJ.
(2021).
Low glucose and high pyruvate reduce the production of 2-oxoaldehydes, improving mitochondrial efficiency, redox regulation, and stallion sperm function†.
Biol Reprod, 105(2), 519-532.
https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioab073 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain.
- Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain.
- Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain.
- Facility of Innovation and Analysis in Animal Source Foodstuffs, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain.
- Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain.
- Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain.
- Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain.
MeSH Terms
- Aldehydes / metabolism
- Animals
- Energy Metabolism
- Glucose / deficiency
- Horses / physiology
- Male
- Mitochondria
- Oxidation-Reduction
- Pyruvic Acid / metabolism
- Semen Preservation / instrumentation
- Sperm Motility / physiology
- Spermatozoa / physiology
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Ramesh R, Skog S, Örkenby L, Kugelberg U, Nätt D, Öst A. Dietary Sugar Shifts Mitochondrial Metabolism and Small RNA Biogenesis in Sperm. Antioxid Redox Signal 2023 Jun;38(16-18):1167-1183.
- Rizkallah N, Chambers CG, de Graaf SP, Rickard JP. Factors Affecting the Survival of Ram Spermatozoa during Liquid Storage and Options for Improvement. Animals (Basel) 2022 Jan 20;12(3).
- Silvestre MA, Yániz JL, Peña FJ, Santolaria P, Castelló-Ruiz M. Role of Antioxidants in Cooled Liquid Storage of Mammal Spermatozoa. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021 Jul 8;10(7).
- Wang Z, Liu Z, Feng S, Song X, Liu D, Ma N, Zhang X, Liu W, Wang DO, Liu X, Ikejima T. High glucose induces hippocampal neuron impairment through the SKP1/COX7C pathway: A potential mechanism for perimenopausal depression. Acta Pharm Sin B 2025 Nov;15(11):5832-5853.
- Gacem S, Mocé E, Gozalbo C, Albuixech-Benetó M, Esteve IC, Martínez-Talaván A, Silvestre MA. The Effects of Extender Energetic Substrate Type on Goat Sperm Stored at 17 °C. Biology (Basel) 2025 Jun 27;14(7).
- Becerro-Rey L, Martín-Cano FE, Silva-Rodríguez A, Ortega-Ferrusola C, da Silva-Álvarez E, Ortiz-Placín C, Tapia JA, Gil MC, Peña FJ. Stallion spermatozoa express LDH isoforms A, B, and C, with LDHC playing a crucial role in sustaining sperm viability. Reproduction 2025 Jul 1;170(1).
- Peña FJ, Martín-Cano FE, Becerro-Rey L, da Silva-Álvarez E, Gaitskell-Phillips G, Aparicio IM, Gil MC, Ortega-Ferrusola C. Redox Regulation and Glucose Metabolism in the Stallion Spermatozoa. Antioxidants (Basel) 2025 Feb 17;14(2).
- Oppong A, Leung YH, Ghosh A, Peyot ML, Paquet M, Morales C, Clarke HJ, Al-Mulla F, Boyer A, Madiraju SRM, Boerboom D, O'Flaherty C, Prentki M. Essential role of germ cell glycerol-3-phosphate phosphatase for sperm health, oxidative stress control and male fertility in mice. Mol Metab 2024 Dec;90:102063.
- Ros-Santaella JL, Nový P, Scaringi M, Pintus E. Antimicrobial peptides and proteins as alternative antibiotics for porcine semen preservation. BMC Vet Res 2024 Jun 12;20(1):257.
- Hernández-Avilés C, Ramírez-Agámez L, Weintraub ST, Scoggin CF, Davis BW, Raudsepp T, Varner DD, Love CC. Proteomic analysis of sperm from fertile stallions and subfertile stallions due to impaired acrosomal exocytosis. Sci Rep 2024 May 30;14(1):12446.
- Palacin-Martinez C, Anel-Lopez L, Alvarez M, Neila-Montero M, Montes-Garrido R, Soriano-Úbeda C, de Paz P, Anel L, Riesco MF. The characterization of CellROX™ probes could be a crucial factor in ram sperm quality assessment. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1342808.
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