Boar seminal plasma components and their relation with semen quality

Abstract

Select boar seminal plasma (SP) components and their relation to semen quality were investigated. Thirty nine boars from three artificial insemination (AI) centers were divided into group A (GA: > 80% normal sperm and >70% motility) and group B (GB: < 80% normal sperm and < 70% motility). Each ejaculate was collected and semen volume, concentration, sperm motility (computer aided semen analysis; CASA), morphology, and vitality (both eosin nigrosin staining) were investigated. The SP was separated and analyzed for aspartate-amino-transferase (AST), γ-glutamyl-transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and the concentrations of sodium (Na), potassium (K), chloride (Cl), calcium (Ca), phosphate (PO 4 3-), magnesium (Mg), selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) were assessed. Repeated measures (2 months interval) were conducted in eight boars of GA from one AI center. The activity of GGT (r = -0.482) and ALP (r = -0.459) was moderately associated ( p < 0.05) with ejaculate volume and strongly associated with concentration (r = 0.580 and r = 0.618, respectively; p = 0.000). Moderate associations ( p < 0.05) were found between ALP (r = 0.439), GGT (r = 0.387), Na (r = -0.428), K (r = 0.354), and Se (r = 0.354) with progressive motility. The SP concentration of Na (r = -0.401), Cl (r = -0.521), and K (r = 0.350) was associated ( p < 0.05) with normal morphology. Only Mg was associated ( p < 0.05) with membrane damage (r = -0.335). The concentration of Na, Cl, and Zn (1681.0 vs. 1701.0 µg/dL) was different between groups ( p < 0.05). Repeated measures showed significant differences in time but only for Na, Mg, and Zn ( p < 0.05). In conclusion, several biochemical components of SP were related to semen quality. The analysis of biochemical parameters could provide extra information about reproductive health of AI boars.

Antioxidative effects of magnetized extender containing bovine serum albumin on sperm oxidative stress during long-term liquid preservation of boar semen

“…The development of AI techniques accelerates andrology such as sperm physiology, storage methods, cryopreservation, and our understanding of the composition of seminal plasma for successful fertilization [11,15,18]. Of these, seminal plasma is a component of semen that does not contain sperm and that supplies the necessary nutrients to sperm for metabolic activity and transports fluids to oocytes in the female genital tract [19]. Seminal plasma in ejaculated semen contains various factors involved in sperm maturation for successful fertilization; however, components involved in capacitation increase calcium ions in sperm cells [20].…”

Biochemical components of seminal plasma and their correlation to the fresh seminal characteristics in Marwari stallions and Poitou jacks

“…An increase in the values of these enzyme activities indicates the damage to the functional integrity of acrosome or plasma membrane of spermatozoa and thus leading to abnormal spermatozoa, further which causes leakage of these enzymes in the extracellular fluid [18]. GOT and GPT play an important role in the protection of spermatozoa from oxidative stress and provides an indicator of a primary testicular and epididymal origin of these enzymes in stallion [19,20]. A positive correlation was observed between the GOT, GPT, ALP and ACP with seminal volume also indicate that these factors might have testicular origin.…”

Energy metabolic state in hypothermically stored boar spermatozoa using a revised protocol for efficient ATP extraction

“…Long and Guthrie (2006) used the sperm-rich fraction of a native ejaculate, while we used a full ejaculate that was diluted with a commercial semen extender (Beltsville Thawing Solution; BTS). High concentrations of cations in native ejaculates, especially Zn 2+ and Cu 2+ (Li et al, 2015; Lopez Rodriguez et al, 2013; Strzezek et al, 1995; Lavon and Boursnell, 1975) may have a dose-dependent quenching effect on emitted light in an ATP assay (Wen et al, 2001) and thus could impair the sensitivity of the system. BTS extender contains 3.4 mM EDTA (Johnson et al, 2000) and may have buffered free cation concentrations to low levels.…”