Serum Nerve Growth Factor Levels as a Predictor of Bull Candidate Semen Quality of Madura Cattle

Abstract

Madura cattle are the germplasm of native cattle on the verge of extinction because of crossbreeding. Therefore, the present study was aimed to determine the serum nerve growth factor (NGF) concentration as a predictor of fresh ejaculate fertility parameters in Madura bull candidates. Eleven Madura bull candidates used for frozen semen production were selected for the study. Blood samples were collected using a vacutainer from the jugular vein for analyzing serum NGF and testosterone levels. Meanwhile, semen collection was conducted using an artificial vagina for sperm motility, viability, and concentration assessment. Data were analyzed to determine the correlation among variables and the linear regression of NGF concentration to other significant variables. The result showed that NGF had a significant correlation ( p < 0.05 ) with testosterone levels, sperm motility, viability, and concentration. A significant correlation was observed between testosterone levels, sperm concentration, and sperm viability. The regression equation among significantly correlated variables was determined. For artificial insemination, suitable bull ejaculates for obtaining frozen semen should reach at least 2.12 ng/mL of NGF levels, with sperm viability, sperm concentration, and testosterone levels of more than 78.63%, 1,462.177 million/mL ejaculate, and 25.67 ng/mL, respectively. This is the first study to identify NGF as a predictor of male fertility in bull candidates of Madura cattle. Therefore, NGF levels could be used as a marker of male fertility in Madura bull cattle candidates. Thus, based on the minimum NGF levels, the ejaculate of Madura bull candidate that meets the requirements for frozen semen production could predict fertility.

Seminal plasma protein profiles and testosterone levels as biomarker semen quality of candidate Madura bulls

“…Genetic associations in each individual and species were used for the genotype selection of bulls that have high testosterone levels [ 31 ]. Meanwhile, SP testosterone levels in Madura bulls were lower than serum testosterone levels by 23.34 ± 9.91 ng/ml [ 32 ]. The hormone testosterone is produced by Leydig cells from the seminiferous tubules, while SP is mostly secreted by the accessory glands and only a small amount by the seminiferous tubules.…”

A Possible Role for Nerve Growth Factor and Its Receptors in Human Sperm Pathology

“…There is a substantial agreement in the literature regarding the positive effect of NGF (endogenous or exogenous) on the kinetic traits of mature sperm. In Madura bulls, a high seminal NGF level could be considered a good predictor of male fertility after deep freezing [33]; in rabbit bucks, the addition of exogenous NGF (100 ng/mL) improved sperm kinetic traits [19]. Li et al [40] detected a significantly lower (p < 0.05) NGF level in semen from men with oligoasthenozoospermia compared with fertile men and men with asthenozoospermia.…”

“…NGF and its receptors are widely distributed in the prostate, suggesting potential roles in prostate development, function and pathology [31]. In addition, other authors have shown that the NGF level correlates with the sperm concentration, viability and motility, and the testosterone level [17,20,22,32,33]. Moreover, evidence in men and cattle indicate that the exogenous addition of NGF could be useful for improving sperm quality after cryopreservation [12,[34][35][36].…”