Superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in the seminal plasma of normozoospermic and asthenozoospermic Beagles.
We measured the blood plasma testosterone (T) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities in the seminal plasma of the ejaculates of 5 normal (2-5 years old) and 5 asthenozoospermic (AZ-) (3-5 years old) Beagles. Sperm ejaculated by AZ-dogs was incubated for 3 hr in Eagle's MEM only (controls) or Eagle's MEM containing 100 units/ml of SOD or catalase. Sperm motility was examined during incubation. The mean (+/- SE) plasma T level of the AZ-dogs (1.2 +/- 0.2 ng/ml) was significantly lower than in the normal dogs (2.5 +/- 0.2 ng/ml) (P<0.005). The mean (+/- SE) seminal plasma SOD and catalase activities (18.8 +/- 1.9 and 0.5 +/- 0.1 unit/g protein, respectively) were significantly lower in the AZ-dogs than in the normal dog (43.3 +/- 2.5 and 2.2 +/- 0.4 unit/g protein, respectively) (P<0.001 and 0.01, respectively). The motility of sperm incubated in Eagle's MEM containing SOD or catalase was significantly higher than that of control sperm incubated in only Eagle's MEM after 2 or 3 hr of incubation (P<0.05). The results of this study indicate that poor T secretion by the testes and low antioxidant enzyme activities are related to AZ in the dog.
Kawakami
Eiichi
E
Department of Reproduction, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino-shi, Tokyo, Japan.
Takemura
Ariko
A
Sakuma
Masaki
M
Takano
Mai
M
Hirano
Taichi
T
Hori
Tatsuya
T
Tsutsui
Toshihiko
T
D000818:Animals; D053627:Asthenozoospermia / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000201:enzymology*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000002:abnormalities; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D013739:Testosterone; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase