title: The irradiation of rabbit sperm cells with He-Ne laser prevents their in vitro liquid storage dependent damage.
abstract: The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of different energy doses of helium-neon (He-Ne) laser irradiation on both mitochondrial bioenergetics functions and functional quality of rabbit spermatozoa during 48 h of in vitro liquid storage at 15 degrees C. 11 rabbit semen pools were each divided into four aliquots: three of them were irradiated with He-Ne laser with different energy doses (3.96, 6.12 and 9.00 J/cm(2)) being the last control kept under the same experimental conditions without irradiation. Sperm motility, viability and acrosome integrity were monitored together with cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity and the cell energy charge (EC) at 0, 24 and 48 h of storage. Irradiated samples stored for 24 and 48 h better maintained motility (P < 0.01), acrosome integrity (P < 0.01) and viability (P < 0.05) with respect to the control, particularly with the energy dose of 6.12 J/cm(2) that showed the most intense biostimulative effect. COX activity and EC were immediately increased by irradiation particularly in the treatments 6.12 and 9.00 J/cm(2) (P < 0.05), that maintained their levels higher with respect to the control after 48 h of storage (P < 0.01). COX activity of rabbit sperm cells was positively correlated with EC (P < 0.05), viability (P < 0.01) and acrosome integrity (P < 0.05) parameters. These results indicate that the effects of He-Ne laser irradiation on sperm cells are mediated through the stimulation of the sperm mitochondrial respiratory chain and that this effect plays a significant role in the augmentation of the rabbit sperm cells' capability to survive during liquid storage conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal, Vegetable and Environmental Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy. nicolaia@unimol.it
authors.forename: Nicolaia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iaffaldano
authors.forename: Maria Pina
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Rosato
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paventi
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pizzuto
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gambacorta
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manchisi
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Passarella
mesh_terms: D000177:Acrosome / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D020101:Acrosome Reaction / Q000528:radiation effects; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000528:radiation effects; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006371:Helium; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D054020:Lasers, Gas; D008297:Male; D009356:Neon; D011817:Rabbits; D011827:Radiation; D012662:Semen Preservation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods* / Q000662:veterinary; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000528:radiation effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D006371:Helium; D009356:Neon; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate