Semen selenium content and sperm mitochondrial volume in human and some animal species.
Abstract: Selenium (Se) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were determined from the seminal plasma samples and spermatozoa of human and four different animal species. The human sperm Se concentration was 1.8 +/- 0.8 micrograms/g dry weight, which was about half of that in the bull. Abnormal sperm morphology and motility correlated with low sperm Se content. The volume of sperm mitochondrial sheath in human, bull and stallion was measured using transmission electron microscopy. In these species the sperm Se content was highly correlated with the volume of mitochondria. Among the five species studied, the seminal plasma level of Se was lowest in human male and stallion, while the highest levels were encountered in the bull. No correlation was obtained between human semen quality and seminal plasma Se concentration. The seminal plasma GSH-Px activity was low in man and ram, absent in boar and stallion but very high in the bull. The amount of structural sperm Se as well as seminal plasma Se and GSH-Px activity appears to be highly variable in different species.
Publication Date: 1989-04-01 PubMed ID: 2715306DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a136893Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research study was aimed at analysing the selenium content and mitochondrial volume of sperm cells in humans and four different animal species. The study found a positive correlation between selenium content and mitochondrial volume, with implications for sperm morphology and mobility.
Objective and Methods
- The research was targeted at determining and comparing the selenium (Se) content and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in sperm and seminal plasma samples from humans and four animal species (ram, boar, stallion, and bull).
- The researchers also conducted morphological and motility examination of sperm samples.
- Apart from the bio-chemical assays, transmission electron microscopy was utilized to measure the sperm mitochondria’s volume in these samples.
Findings
- The study found that the concentration of selenium in human sperm was about half of that in bull sperm.
- There existed a correlation between abnormal sperm morphology and motility with low selenium content in the sperm.
- An important finding was the high correlation between sperm selenium content and the volume of mitochondria, which is a significant aspect considering the role of mitochondria in providing energy for sperm movement.
- Of all the species studied, the seminal plasma level of selenium was observed to be lowest in humans and stallions. In contrast, bulls exhibited the highest levels.
- However, the study found no direct connection between human semen quality and seminal plasma selenium concentration.
- The active presence of GSH-Px, an antioxidant enzyme in sperm, was variable amongst different species. It was low in humans and rams, absent in stallions and boars, but significantly high in bulls.
Conclusions
- The study concludes that the selenium concentration in seminal plasma and sperm, and the antioxidant activity of GSH-Px is diverse amongst different species.
- Though the study doesn’t provide a clear relationship between selenium content and semen quality in humans, it highlights the potential importance of selenium in sperm morphology and motility, especially in relation to mitochondrial volume.
Cite This Article
APA
Saaranen M, Suistomaa U, Vanha-Perttula T.
(1989).
Semen selenium content and sperm mitochondrial volume in human and some animal species.
Hum Reprod, 4(3), 304-308.
https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a136893 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Anatomy, University of Kuopio, Finland.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cattle
- Glutathione Peroxidase / analysis
- Horses
- Humans
- Male
- Mitochondria / analysis
- Selenium / analysis
- Semen / analysis
- Semen / enzymology
- Sheep
- Sperm Count
- Sperm Motility
- Spermatozoa / analysis
- Swine
Citations
This article has been cited 6 times.- Li S, Ren J, Zhang W, Wang B, Ma Y, Su L, Dai Y, Liu G. Glutathione and selenium nanoparticles have a synergistic protective effect during cryopreservation of bull semen. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1093274.
- Rafiee Z, Rezaee-Tazangi F, Zeidooni L, Alidadi H, Khorsandi L. Protective effects of selenium on Bisphenol A-induced oxidative stress in mouse testicular mitochondria and sperm motility. JBRA Assist Reprod 2021 Jul 21;25(3):459-465.
- Boroujeni MB, Peidayesh F, Pirnia A, Boroujeni NB, Ahmadi SAY, Gholami M. Effect of selenium on freezing-thawing damage of mice spermatogonial stem cell: a model to preserve fertility in childhood cancers. Stem Cell Investig 2019;6:36.
- Surai PF, Fisinin VI. Selenium in pig nutrition and reproduction: boars and semen quality-a review. Asian-Australas J Anim Sci 2015 May;28(5):730-46.
- Dorostkar K, Alavi-Shoushtari SM, Mokarizadeh A. Effects of in vitro selenium addition to the semen extender on the spermatozoa characteristics before and after freezing in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). Vet Res Forum 2012 Fall;3(4):263-8.
- Atig F, Raffa M, Habib BA, Kerkeni A, Saad A, Ajina M. Impact of seminal trace element and glutathione levels on semen quality of Tunisian infertile men. BMC Urol 2012 Mar 19;12:6.
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