title: Anti-oxidant supplementation improves boar sperm characteristics and fertility after cryopreservation: comparison between cysteine and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis).
abstract: Anti-oxidants partially ameliorated the detrimental effects of reactive oxidative substances produced during cryopreservation. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of anti-oxidant addition to the freezing extender on boar semen qualities and fertility capacity. Ejaculates were collected from a previously selected boar and semen samples were processed using the straw freezing procedure. In experiment 1, semen samples were cryopreserved in lactose-egg yolk solution supplemented with various concentrations of cysteine (0, 5 and 10mM) to determinate a cysteine concentration capable of producing a protective effect during cryopreservation. Semen quality (total motility, progressive motility, viability, acrosome integrity and hypoosmotic swelling test) was evaluated after freezing and thawing and then every hour for 3h. In experiment 2, ejaculates were cryopreserved with lactose-egg yolk extender with or without the following anti-oxidants: cysteine, rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and cysteine plus rosemary. Semen quality was evaluated. In the experiment 3, fertility capacity of semen frozen in anti-oxidant supplementation extenders was examined in vitro. A total of 2232 oocytes were in vitro matured and inseminated with frozen-thawed sperm. In summary: (i) the effective concentration of cysteine in freezing extender was 10mM; (ii) the addition of exogenous rosemary or cysteine to the freezing extender positively affected post-thawed viability and acrosome integrity. Only rosemary supplementation improved total motility at 3h and progressive motility at any time; (iii) the inclusion of rosemary into the extender was effective in penetration and cleavage rate and also in the efficiency of the fertilization system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Pathology, Obstetrics and Reproduction Area, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain. 485010@celes.unizar.es
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Malo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cano
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: de Blas
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Espinosa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods* / Q000662:veterinary; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003545:Cysteine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D027542:Rosmarinus / Q000737:chemistry*; D055101:Semen Analysis; D012662:Semen Preservation / Q000379:methods* / Q000662:veterinary; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects; D034421:Sus scrofa
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D003545:Cysteine