title: Supplementation of soybean lecithin-based semen extender by antioxidants: complementary flowcytometric study on post-thawed ram spermatozoa.
abstract: The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effects of cysteine (C) and glutathione (G) on the post-thawed ram sperm quality. Collected semen samples from four mature rams were diluted with five soybean lecithin (SL)-based extenders containing: no antioxidant (SL-0), 5 mM cysteine (SL-C5), 10 mM cysteine (SL-C10), 5 mM glutathione (SL-G5) and 10 mM glutathione (SL-G10). After freeze-thawing process, motion and velocity parameters, plasma membrane integrity and functionality, morphological abnormality, lipid peroxidation, acrosomal status, mitochondria activity, and apoptosis status of post-thawed ram spermatozoa were assessed. The results showed that SL-C10 increased the total motility and plasma membrane integrity (p < 0.05) of post-thawed ram spermatozoa (55.86 ± 1.37 and 60.57 ± 1.34 %) compared to other extenders. Progressive motility was significantly higher in SL-C10 (24.71 ± 1.13 %) compared to SL-0 (20 ± 1.13 %) and SL-G10 (15 ± 1.13 %). Mitochondrial activity was significantly higher in SL-C10 (56.83 ± 2.29 %) compared to SL-G10 (38.75 ± 2.29 %). Capacitation and acrosomal status, lipid peroxidation, and the percentage of dead spermatozoa were not affected by different extenders. The percentage of live spermatozoa was higher in SL-C10 (56.33 ± 1.35 %) compared to other extenders. Also, SL-C10 resulted in a lower percentage of apoptotic spermatozoa (14.17 ± 0.53 %) compared to other extenders. The results of this study showed that supplementation of SL-based ram semen extender with 10 mM cysteine resulted in an improved quality of post-thawed ram spermatozoa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharafi
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhandi
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akbari Sharif
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D054709:Lecithins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D012662:Semen Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D012756:Sheep; D013025:Glycine max / Q000378:metabolism*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents; D054709:Lecithins; D037121:Plant Lectins