Association of mitochondrial function and sperm progressivity in slow- and fast-growing roosters

Abstract

The objectives of the current study were to investigate the activity of the electron transport chain (ETC) complexes, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the sperm mitochondria of 2 Iranian slow- and fast-growing chickens, namely native and Aryan strains. In this study, semen of 133 roosters was analyzed by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA). The roosters were categorized by sperm progressivity, as a low or high sperm motility phenotype. Mitochondrial complex I (NADH ubiquinone oxidoreductase), II (succinate dehydrogenase), III (ubiquinol cytochrome C reductase), IV (cytochrome C oxidase) activity, ATP, and ROS production in sperm were assayed. As a result, Aryan roosters with high progressive motility levels (HPL) had the greatest progressivity. Progressive motility was significant in in both strains (Aryan and native; P = 0.020) and motility levels (high and low; P = 0.007). The highest activity of complexes I was observed in Aryan with HPL roosters (P = 0.004). Native roosters with HPLs demonstrated higher complex activities I compared with Aryan and native roosters with low progressive motility levels (LPL) (P = 0.004). Significant differences were observed not only in the mitochondrial amounts of ATP of the strains (P = 0.000) but also between HPL and LPL (P = 0.003). The highest mitochondrial amounts of ATP was found in Aryan roosters with HPL (P = 0.021). Native roosters with LPL had the highest concentration of mitochondrial ROS (P = 0.033). The Aryan roosters with HPL, on the other hand, indicated less concentration of the mitochondrial ROS compared with Aryan having LPL and native roosters with HPL and LPL (P = 0.033). A significant difference was observed in the mitochondrial ROS between the strains (P = 0.004) and between HPL and LPL (P = 0.000). There was positive relationship between progressivity and each of mitochondrial complexes and ATP (r = 0.71, 0.62, 0.90 and 0.65 respectively). Based on our results, the sperm progressivity largely depends on the whole energy production originating in the mitochondrial compartment. Therefore, the deficiency in the function of mitochondria in the sperm and energy production could be responsible for low progressive motility.

Non-thermal plasma treatment improves chicken sperm motility via the regulation of demethylation levels

“…Mitochondria have a crucial role in the energy metabolism and ATP generation 41 . Sperm motility is found to be directly and positively correlated with mitochondrial respiratory enzyme activity and ATP production in roosters 42 . Our results show plasma conditions can be optimized to enhance chicken sperm motility by increasing the activity of respiratory enzyme and ATP production through upregulation of the mRNA expression of ATP synthase subunits and ATP5A protein level in spermatozoa.…”

Comparative transcriptome analysis digs out genes related to antifreeze between fresh and frozen–thawed rooster sperm

“…Energy metabolism is a key factor supporting sperm functions ( Piomboni et al., 2012 ). Sperm motility has been found to be enhanced by increasing the activity of mitochondrial respiratory enzyme activity and ATP production through upregulation of the mRNA expression of related enzymes in roosters ( Kamali Sangani et al., 2017 , Jiao et al., 2018 ). Analysis of chicken sperm transcriptome by microarray analysis in the present study showed that many DEG significantly enriched in the oxidative phosphorylation pathway, such as NADH dehydrogenase, ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase, ATP synthase, cytochrome c oxidase, and succinate dehydrogenase, were markedly downregulated.…”

Motility enhancement of human spermatozoa using electrical stimulation in the nano-Ampere range with enzymatic biofuel cells

“…This has limited the clinical treatments, such as the intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection for poor sperm motility or the immotile sperm [20]. The motility of asthenozoospermatozoa correlated with mitochondrial bioenergy (ATP) generated via oxidative phosphorylation based on the utilisation of the electron transport system [21]. Ultimately, the potential difference of the membrane operates the ATP synthase complex and generates most of the energy used for sperm motility.…”