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Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number in Spermatozoa of Fertile Stallions.
Abstract: Predicting male fertility on non-invasive sperm traits is of big importance to human and animal reproduction strategies. Combining the wide range of parameters monitored by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) with some molecular traits (e.g. mtDNA content) may help to identify markers of the male fertility. The aim of this study was to characterize variation in the mtDNA copy number in equine sperm and to investigate whether mtDNA content is correlated with quality traits of stallion spermatozoa and the age of the male. Ejaculates collected from 53 fertile stallions were divided into four age groups (3-5, 6-10, 11-14 and >15 years) and were subjected to a complex investigation including conventional analysis, CASA, flow cytometry and mtDNA content (real-time PCR). The mean (±SD) number of mtDNA copies equalled 14 ± 9 and varied from 3 to 64. Considering the great number of sperm parameters monitored in this study, only few of them were correlated with the mtDNA content: ejaculate volume (a positive correlation), the amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH; a negative correlation) and the high mitochondrial activity index (a negative correlation). The stallion age was not correlated with the mtDNA copy number. This study provides the first set of data on mtDNA content in equine sperm and confirms phenomena previously described for humans and dog on associations between sperm mtDNA content and selected motility parameters monitored by the CASA. Basing our study on spermatozoa from fertile stallions could however limit the extent of detected associations.
© 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
Publication Date: 2016-04-01 PubMed ID: 27037507DOI: 10.1111/rda.12689Google 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
Summary
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This research aims to examine the relationship between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content in horse sperm and various sperm quality traits. The authors studied sperm samples from 53 fertile male horses, broken into four different age groups. While only a few parameters showed a correlation with mtDNA content, the research actually disproved any connection between the age of the animal and mtDNA content in the sperm.
Research Objectives
- The primary objective of this study was to investigate the variation in mtDNA copy number in equine sperm.
- The researchers also sought to identify if there was any correlation between mtDNA content and sperm quality traits, as well as the age of stallions.
Methodology
- 53 fertile stallions were selected for the study and their ejaculates were collected and categorized into four age groups: 3-5 years, 6-10 years, 11-14 years, and those above 15 years.
- The collected samples underwent various techniques: conventional analysis, computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA), flow cytometry, and mtDNA content measurement using real-time PCR.
Results
- Researchers found the mean number of mtDNA copies to be 14 with a standard deviation of 9, ranging between 3 to 64.
- Only a few of the monitored sperm parameters showed a correlation with the mtDNA content which were: ejaculate volume (a positive correlation), the amplitude of lateral head displacement (a negative correlation), and a high mitochondrial activity index (a negative correlation).
- The stallion’s age demonstrated no correlation with the mtDNA copy number in sperm.
Conclusions
- The study successfully provided the first set of data on mtDNA content in equine sperm.
- It also confirmed associations between mtDNA content and selected motility parameters which was previously observed in humans and dogs.
- The researchers noted that conducting the study exclusively on sperm from fertile horses may have limited the extent of correlations uncovered in the research.
Cite This Article
APA
Orsztynowicz M, Pawlak P, Podstawski Z, Nizanski W, Partyka A, Gotowiecka M, Kosiniak-Kamysz K, Lechniak D.
(2016).
Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number in Spermatozoa of Fertile Stallions.
Reprod Domest Anim, 51(3), 378-385.
https://doi.org/10.1111/rda.12689 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
- Department of Horse Breeding, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland.
- Department of Reproduction and Clinic of Farm Animals, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland.
- Department of Reproduction and Clinic of Farm Animals, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland.
- Department of Reproduction and Clinic of Farm Animals, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland.
- Department of Horse Breeding, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland.
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
MeSH Terms
- Age Factors
- Animals
- DNA, Mitochondrial / analysis
- Dogs
- Fertility / genetics
- Genetic Markers
- Horses / genetics
- Humans
- Male
- Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
- Semen Analysis / veterinary
- Sperm Motility / genetics
- Spermatozoa / chemistry
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Madeja ZE, Podralska M, Nadel A, Pszczola M, Pawlak P, Rozwadowska N. Mitochondria Content and Activity Are Crucial Parameters for Bull Sperm Quality Evaluation. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021 Jul 27;10(8).
- Zakirova EG, Muzyka VV, Mazunin IO, Orishchenko KE. Natural and Artificial Mechanisms of Mitochondrial Genome Elimination. Life (Basel) 2021 Jan 20;11(2).
- Farhadi R, Mohammadi Ghanatghestani AH, Abbasi R, Farshidfar D, Najafi A. In vitro assessment of lavender ethanolic extract supplemented semen extender on cryopreserved ram epididymal sperm quality and fertility outcome. BMC Vet Res 2025 Jun 9;21(1):407.
- Anwar K, Thaller G, Saeed-Zidane M. Sperm-Borne Mitochondrial Activity Influenced by Season and Age of Holstein Bulls. Int J Mol Sci 2024 Dec 5;25(23).
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