Acrosome reaction and concentration of prostaglandin E2 in semen of rams treated with flunixin meglumine (Banamine).
The objectives of this study were to determine 1) the effect of Banamine on the seminal concentration of PGE2 and 2) the ability of sperm cells from treated rams to undergo acrosome reaction in vitro as an indirect measure of their fertilizing capacity. Seven rams, approximately 55 kg bodyweight and 2 to 5 yr of age, were divided into two groups: Group 1, treated (n = 4) and Group 2, controls (n = 3). Treatment consisted of administration of 75 mg i.m. Banamine twice daily, 6 to 8 h apart, for 45 d. On Day 0 (first day of treatment) and on Days 2, 9, 11, 16, 23, 25, 28, 30, 36, 39, 43 and 46 semen samples were collected from both groups using an electroejaculator. Blood samples were obtained for determination of serum levels of Banamine using high-performance liquid chromatography. Semen samples were examined for motility and morphology. Highly motile (>/=85%), normal-appearing semen samples were pooled on each day of collection and 25 ul of the pooled sample (1x10(6)/ml) of each group were induced to undergo acrosome reaction in vitro using ionophore A23187. Acrosome reaction was demonstrated using a staining technique designed for demonstrating the process in bull sperm cells. The percentage of acrosome-reacted and non-acrosome-reacted sperm was determined by random microscopic examination of 100 sperm cells using a double-blind approach. The supernatants of the remainder of the semen samples were assayed for levels of PGE2 using RIA. Values for acrosome-reacted sperm cells and PGE2 levels on the first day of treatment from both groups were compared with corresponding values from each day of sampling using Wilcoxon Rank Sums test (P<0.05). In Group 1, the mean serum level of Banamine was 3.02+/-0.58ug/ml. There was a significant increase in the ability of sperm cells from rams in Group 1 to undergo acrosome reaction as treatment progressed compared with the sperm cells from rams in Group 2. However, there was a significant decrease in concentration of PGE2 in semen from rams in Group 1 compared with those from Group 2. The results of this study suggest an inverse relationship between the capacity of sperm cells to undergo acrosome reaction and concentration of PGE2 in semen of rams treated with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug.
Archbald
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Large Animal Clinical Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610 USA.
Gronwall
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Pritchard
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Tran
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