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Home / Equine Research Bank / Theriogenology / Seasonal variations in sperm DNA fragmentation and pregnancy...
Theriogenology2020; 148; 89-94; doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.02.032

Seasonal variations in sperm DNA fragmentation and pregnancy rates obtained after artificial insemination with cooled-stored stallion sperm throughout the breeding season (spring and summer).

Abstract: The aim of this study was to assess seasonal variations during different periods of the breeding season (spring and summer) on stallion sperm DNA fragmentation and in vivo fertility associated with cooled-stored semen samples. Ejaculates were collected from eleven stallions and assessed for sperm motility (assessed by computer-assisted sperm analysis) and plasma membrane integrity (evaluated under fluorescence microscopy). Sperm DNA fragmentation (evaluated by the Sperm Chromatin Dispersion test) was assessed in cooled-stored semen at 5 °C for up to 24 h. Artificial insemination was performed throughout the breeding season. Mares were inseminated with cooled-stored semen (up to 24 h) every other day until ovulation. Pregnancy rates per cycle were determined detecting the embryonic vesicle by ultrasonography fifteen days after ovulation. Values (mean ± SD) for progressive sperm motility were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in spring (53.57 ± 9.97%) in comparison to summer (41.37 ± 10.81%). No significant differences in plasma membrane integrity were found between seasons (P > 0.05). Sperm DNA fragmentation was significantly lower (P < 0.01) in spring in comparison to summer after 0h (4.81 ± 1.87% vs. 8.77 ± 5.78%), 6h (9.00 ± 3.19% vs. 18.73 ± 8.22%) and 24h (14.6 ± 4.13% vs. 30.14 ± 9.85%) of cooled-storage. Pregnancy rates per cycle were also significantly higher (P < 0.01) in spring (50%) in comparison to summer (37%). There was a moderate negative relationship between positive pregnancies and sperm with fragmented DNA (r = - 0.619; P < 0.001). Semen samples associated with moderate fertility levels (Pregnancy rate < 50%) showed a higher percentage of sperm with fragmented DNA compared to samples obtaining higher fertility levels. In conclusion, seasonal variations were found during the breeding season, obtaining lower sperm DNA fragmentation and higher pregnancy rates in spring. Additionally, samples with the highest proportion of sperm with fragmented DNA showed the lowest fertility levels throughout the breeding season.
Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2020-02-21 PubMed ID: 32169626DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.02.032Google Scholar: Lookup
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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.

This research investigates the seasonal impact on stallion sperm DNA fragmentation and fertility rates, revealing that during the breeding season (spring and summer), sperm quality and pregnancy success rates are higher in spring.

Study Objective and Methodology

  • The purpose of the study was to explore the influence of seasonal variations, essentially between spring and summer, on the fragmentation of sperm DNA and fertility rates linked to cooled-stored stallion semen.
  • Semen samples were collected from eleven stallions and tested for sperm movement (examined by computer-assisted sperm analysis) and plasma membrane integrity (evaluated under fluorescence microscopy).
  • The study used the Sperm Chromatin Dispersion test to evaluate sperm DNA fragmentation in the cooled-stored semen stored at 5°C for up to 24 hours.
  • Throughout the breeding season, the mares were artificially inseminated with the cooled-stored semen every other day until they ovulated.
  • Pregnancy rates per cycle were determined by detecting the embryonic vesicle through ultrasonography fifteen days post ovulation.

Results and Findings

  • The study discovered that the rate of progressive sperm movement was noticeably higher in spring than in summer.
  • However, no significant differences were discovered in plasma membrane integrity between the two seasons.
  • Sperm DNA fragmentation was significantly lower in spring compared to summer after storage for 0, 6, and 24 hours .
  • The research also shed light on the fact that the pregnancy success rates per breeding cycle were significantly higher in spring, at 50%, compared to 37% in summer.
  • A moderate negative relationship was found between successful pregnancies and sperm with fragmented DNA, indicative of lower fertility when there was a high proportion of fragmented sperm DNA in the sample.
  • Furthermore, it was found that semen samples linked with moderate fertility levels showed a higher percentage of fragmented DNA sperms, compared to those samples associated with higher fertility levels.

Conclusions

  • The study concluded that seasonal variations during the breeding season resulted in lower sperm DNA fragmentation and higher pregnancy rates during the spring period.
  • Also, semen samples that contained the maximum proportion of sperm with fragmented DNA exhibited the lowest fertility levels throughout the breeding season.

Cite This Article

APA
Crespo F, Quiñones-Pérez C, Ortiz I, Diaz-Jimenez M, Consuegra C, Pereira B, Dorado J, Hidalgo M. (2020). Seasonal variations in sperm DNA fragmentation and pregnancy rates obtained after artificial insemination with cooled-stored stallion sperm throughout the breeding season (spring and summer). Theriogenology, 148, 89-94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.02.032

Publication

Theriogenology
ISSN: 1879-3231
NlmUniqueID: 0421510
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 148
Pages: 89-94

Researcher Affiliations

Crespo, F
  • Centro Militar de Cría Caballar de Ávila, Cría Caballar de las Fuerzas Armadas, Ávila, 05005, Spain.
Quiñones-Pérez, C
  • Centro Militar de Cría Caballar de Ávila, Cría Caballar de las Fuerzas Armadas, Ávila, 05005, Spain; Laboratorio de Investigación Aplicada, Cría Caballar de las Fuerzas Armadas, Córdoba, 14014, Spain.
Ortiz, I
  • College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4466, United States.
Diaz-Jimenez, M
  • Veterinary Reproduction Group, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, 14071, Spain.
Consuegra, C
  • Veterinary Reproduction Group, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, 14071, Spain.
Pereira, B
  • Veterinary Reproduction Group, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, 14071, Spain.
Dorado, J
  • Veterinary Reproduction Group, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, 14071, Spain.
Hidalgo, M
  • Veterinary Reproduction Group, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, 14071, Spain. Electronic address: mhidalgo@uco.es.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • DNA Fragmentation
  • Female
  • Fertility
  • Horses / physiology
  • Insemination, Artificial / veterinary
  • Male
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Rate
  • Seasons
  • Semen Preservation / veterinary
  • Spermatozoa

Citations

This article has been cited 9 times.
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    doi: 10.1186/s12917-025-04652-9pubmed: 40133892google scholar: lookup
  2. Anwar K, Thaller G, Saeed-Zidane M. Genetic Variations in the NRF2 Microsatellite Contribute to the Regulation of Bovine Sperm-Borne Antioxidant Capacity. Cells 2024 Sep 24;13(19).
    doi: 10.3390/cells13191601pubmed: 39404365google scholar: lookup
  3. Robertson MJ, Chambers C, Spanner EA, de Graaf SP, Rickard JP. The Assessment of Sperm DNA Integrity: Implications for Assisted Reproductive Technology Fertility Outcomes across Livestock Species. Biology (Basel) 2024 Jul 17;13(7).
    doi: 10.3390/biology13070539pubmed: 39056730google scholar: lookup
  4. 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 Oct 6;13(19).
    doi: 10.3390/ani13193123pubmed: 37835729google scholar: lookup
  5. Luño V, Martínez F, Muñoz A, Gil L. Effect of season on the dynamics of cat sperm DNA fragmentation. BMC Vet Res 2023 Aug 8;19(1):113.
    doi: 10.1186/s12917-023-03682-5pubmed: 37553700google scholar: lookup
  6. Matsumoto H, Hashimoto S, Mizuno S, Fukuda A, Morimoto Y. Influence of climatic conditions in the mesothermal climate area on pregnancies following elective fresh single blastocyst transfer. J Assist Reprod Genet 2022 Dec;39(12):2789-2797.
    doi: 10.1007/s10815-022-02668-wpubmed: 36471202google scholar: lookup
  7. Waheed MM, Meligy A, Alhaider AK, Ghoneim IM. Relation of seminal plasma trace mineral in the Arabian stallion's semen with the semen characteristics and subsequent fertility. Heliyon 2022 Oct;8(10):e11128.
    doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11128pubmed: 36303913google scholar: lookup
  8. Finelli R, Moreira BP, Alves MG, Agarwal A. Unraveling the Molecular Impact of Sperm DNA Damage on Human Reproduction. Adv Exp Med Biol 2022;1358:77-113.
    doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-89340-8_5pubmed: 35641867google scholar: lookup
  9. Quiñones-Pérez C, Martínez A, Ortiz I, Crespo F, Vega-Pla JL. The Semen Microbiome and Semen Parameters in Healthy Stallions. Animals (Basel) 2022 Feb 22;12(5).
    doi: 10.3390/ani12050534pubmed: 35268102google scholar: lookup
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