scholarly journals HVCN1 Channels Are Relevant for the Maintenance of Sperm Motility During In Vitro Capacitation of Pig Spermatozoa

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
pp. 3255
Author(s):  
Marc Yeste ◽  
Marc Llavanera ◽  
Yentel Mateo-Otero ◽  
Jaime Catalán ◽  
Sergi Bonet ◽  
...  

The objective of the present study was to determine the physiological role of voltage-gated hydrogen channels 1 (HVCN1 channels) during in vitro capacitation of pig spermatozoa. Sperm samples from 20 boars were incubated in capacitating medium for 300 minutes (min) in the presence of 2-guanidino benzimidazole (2-GBI), a specific HVCN1-channel blocker, added either at 0 min or after 240 min of incubation. Control samples were incubated in capacitating medium without the inhibitor. In all samples, acrosomal exocytosis was triggered with progesterone after 240 min of incubation. Sperm viability, sperm motility and kinematics, acrosomal exocytosis, membrane lipid disorder, intracellular calcium levels and mitochondrial membrane potential were evaluated after 0, 60, 120, 180, 240, 250, 270 and 300 min of incubation. While HVCN1-blockage resulted in altered sperm viability, sperm motility and kinematics and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential as compared to control samples, at any blocker concentration and incubation time, it had a non-significant effect on intracellular Ca2+ levels determined through Fluo3-staining. The effects on acrosomal exocytosis were only significant in blocked samples at 0 min, and were associated with increased membrane lipid disorder and Ca2+ levels of the sperm head determined through Rhod5-staining. In conclusion, HVCN1 channels play a crucial role in the modulation of sperm motility and kinematics, and in Ca2+ entrance to the sperm head.

Biology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariadna Delgado-Bermúdez ◽  
Federico Noto ◽  
Sebastián Bonilla-Correal ◽  
Estela Garcia-Bonavila ◽  
Jaime Catalán ◽  
...  

Aquaporins (AQPs), a family of ubiquitous water channels divided into orthodox AQPs, aquaglyceroporins (GLPs), and superAQPs, are present in stallion spermatozoa. The aim of this study was to elucidate the functional relevance of each group of AQPs during stallion sperm cryopreservation through the use of three different inhibitors: acetazolamide (AC), phloretin (PHL) and propanediol (PDO). Sperm quality and function parameters were evaluated in the presence or absence of each inhibitor in fresh and frozen–thawed samples. In the presence of AC, different parameters were altered (p < 0.05), but not in a concentration- or time-depending manner. PHL was found to decrease sperm motility, viability, acrosome integrity, and the percentages of spermatozoa with low membrane lipid disorder, high mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and high intracellular levels of calcium and superoxides (p < 0.05). Finally, the sperm motility, viability, acrosome integrity, the percentages of spermatozoa with low membrane lipid disorder, high MMP and high intracellular calcium levels were higher (p < 0.05) in PDO treatments than in the control. The sperm response to AC, PHL and PDO indicates that GLPs, rather than orthodox AQPs, play a crucial role during stallion sperm cryopreservation. Furthermore, post-thaw sperm quality was higher in PDO treatments than in the control, suggesting that this molecule is a potential permeable cryoprotectant.


2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 3699
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Arruda de Oliveira ◽  
Marco Antônio De Oliveira Viu ◽  
Maria Lúcia Gambarini

Handling equine semen during the refrigeration process reduces sperm viability, and consequently causes membrane lipid peroxidation, among other challenges. The present study aimed to evaluate the in vitro effects of glutathione (control, 1. 0, 1. 5, and 2. 5 mM) on equine semen in a refrigeration protocol of 16ºC for 36 hours. The following variables were evaluated after 0, 12, 24, and 36 hours refrigeration: total sperm motility, vigor, viability, and plasma and acrosomal membrane integrity. Motility was higher with 2. 5mM of glutathione (57. 8 ± 7. 3) after 12 hours of refrigeration compared to the control (53. 2 ± 8. 3) (P < 0. 05). After 36 hours of refrigeration, motility was higher with 1. 5 mM (43. 4 ± 12. 7) and 2. 5mM glutathione (45. 5 ± 6. 2), than it was with 1mM glutathione (38. 2 ± 9) and the control (35. 5 ± 18. 4) (P < 0. 05), respectively. Vigor was highest with 1. 5mM glutathione (3. 7 ± 0. 3) after 36 hours compared to the control (3. 2 ± 1. 1), (P < 0. 05). Viability differed between control and 1mM treatments (79. 5 ± 1. 8) only after 24 hours (75. 5 ± 9. 7) (P < 0. 05). Throughout the investigation, no significant differences were noted in plasma and acrosomal membrane integrity (P > 0. 05). The 1. 5 and 2. 5mM glutathione levels were more efficient in protecting sperm cells and yielded higher total motility values after 36 hours of refrigeration.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (19) ◽  
pp. 10804
Author(s):  
Sandra Recuero ◽  
Ariadna Delgado-Bermúdez ◽  
Yentel Mateo-Otero ◽  
Estela Garcia-Bonavila ◽  
Marc Llavanera ◽  
...  

Parkinson disease protein 7 (PARK7) is a multifunctional protein known to be involved in the regulation of sperm motility, mitochondrial function, and oxidative stress response in mammalian sperm. While ROS generation is needed to activate the downstream signaling pathways required for sperm to undergo capacitation, oxidative stress has detrimental effects for sperm cells and a precise balance between ROS levels and antioxidant activity is needed. Considering the putative antioxidant role of PARK7, the present work sought to determine whether this protein is related to the sperm ability to withstand in vitro capacitation. To this end, and using the pig as a model, semen samples were incubated in capacitation medium for 300 min; the acrosomal exocytosis was triggered by the addition of progesterone after 240 min of incubation. At each relevant time point (0, 120, 240, 250, and 300 min), sperm motility, acrosome and plasma membrane integrity, membrane lipid disorder, mitochondrial membrane potential, intracellular calcium and ROS were evaluated. In addition, localization and protein levels of PARK7 were also assessed through immunofluorescence and immunoblotting. Based on the relative content of PARK7, two groups of samples were set. As early as 120 min of incubation, sperm samples with larger PARK7 content showed higher percentages of viable and acrosome-intact sperm, lipid disorder and superoxide levels, and lower intracellular calcium levels when compared to sperm samples with lower PARK7. These data suggest that PARK7 could play a role in preventing sperm from undergoing premature capacitation, maintaining sperm viability and providing a better ability to keep ROS homeostasis, which is needed to elicit sperm capacitation. Further studies are required to elucidate the antioxidant properties of PARK7 during in vitro capacitation and acrosomal exocytosis of mammalian sperm, and the relationship between PARK7 and sperm motility.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosita A. Condorelli ◽  
Federica Barbagallo ◽  
Aldo E. Calogero ◽  
Rossella Cannarella ◽  
Andrea Crafa ◽  
...  

The use of inositols in endocrinological clinical practice is increasingly widespread. Most of the existing evidence concerns myoinositol (MYO), the most abundant form in nature, especially in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome. We have previously shown that MYO increases sperm motility in patients with asthenozoospermia by the increase of sperm mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), a biofunctional sperm parameter closely associated to sperm motility. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of D-chiro-inositol (DCI), another biologically active isoform of inositols, on sperm MMP, as data on this matter has never been released so far. To accomplish this, semen samples from 15 patients with asthenozoospermia and 15 healthy normozoospermic men were incubated with increasing concentrations of DCI (0, 75, and 750 µg/mL) or phosphate buffer saline for 30 min. Incubation with DCI significantly improved sperm MMP at lower concentrations, and with shorter incubation length than those used in our similar MYO studies. In conclusion, these findings indicate that DCI positively impacts on sperm mitochondrial function in vitro. Studies aimed at assessing the role of DCI in the treatment of asthenozoospermia in-vivo are warranted.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (24) ◽  
pp. 6330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Yeste ◽  
Marc Llavanera ◽  
Guillermo Pérez ◽  
Fabiana Scornik ◽  
Josep Puig-Parri ◽  
...  

This study sought to identify and localize SLO1 channels in boar spermatozoa by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence, and to determine their physiological role during in vitro sperm capacitation. Sperm samples from 14 boars were incubated in a capacitation medium for 300 min in the presence of paxilline (PAX), a specific SLO1-channel blocker, added either at 0 min or after 240 min of incubation. Negative controls were incubated in capacitation medium, and positive controls in capacitation medium plus tetraethyl ammonium (TEA), a general K+-channel blocker, also added at 0 min or after 240 min of incubation. In all samples, acrosome exocytosis was triggered with progesterone after 240 min of incubation. Sperm motility and kinematics, integrity of plasma and acrosome membranes, membrane lipid disorder, intracellular calcium levels and acrosin activity were evaluated after 0, 60, 120, 180, 240, 250, 270 and 300 min of incubation. In boar spermatozoa, SLO1 channels were found to have 80 kDa and be localized in the anterior postacrosomal region and the mid and principal piece of the tail; their specific blockage through PAX resulted in altered calcium levels and acrosome exocytosis. As expected, TEA blocker impaired in vitro sperm capacitation, by altering sperm motility and kinematics and calcium levels. In conclusion, SLO1 channels are crucial for the acrosome exocytosis induced by progesterone in in vitro capacitated boar spermatozoa.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 3309
Author(s):  
Michal Ďuračka ◽  
Kamila Husarčíková ◽  
Mikuláš Jančov ◽  
Lucia Galovičová ◽  
Miroslava Kačániová ◽  
...  

Bacterial contamination of bovine ejaculates intended for artificial insemination may be reflected in a significant economic loss due to unsuccessful fertilization as well as health issues of the recipients. The Staphylococcus genus represents a large part of bacteriocenosis of bovine ejaculates. Therefore, this study aims to get a closer look on the effects of Staphylococcus-induced bacteriospermia under in vitro conditions on bovine sperm quality. Prior to inducing bacteriospermia, spermatozoa were separated from each ejaculate using Percoll® Plus gradient medium in order to limit the effects only to the selected bacterial species. Seven Staphylococcus species previously isolated from bovine semen were used for our experiments at a turbidity of 0.5 McFarland (equivalent to 1.5 × 108 colony-forming units per mL). The contaminated semen samples were incubated at 37 °C and at times of 0, 2, and 4 h, motility, mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, sperm DNA fragmentation, and magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) extracellular concentration were analyzed and compared with the control group (uncontaminated). The results showed no significant changes at the initial measurement. However, significant adverse effects were observed after 2 h and 4 h of incubation. Most notably, the presence of S. aureus, S. warneri, S. kloosii, and S. cohnii caused a significantly increased ROS production, leading to sperm DNA fragmentation, changes in the mitochondrial membrane potential, and a decreased sperm motility. Furthermore, the presence of Staphylococcus species led to lower extracellular concentrations of Mg and Ca. In conclusion, the overgrowth of Staphylococcus bacteria in bovine semen may contribute to oxidative stress resulting in sperm DNA fragmentation, altered mitochondrial membrane potential, and diminished sperm motility.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 852 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Martínez-Rodríguez ◽  
Mercedes Alvarez ◽  
Elena López-Urueña ◽  
Susana Gomes-Alves ◽  
Luis Anel-López ◽  
...  

Sperm motility in vitro is one of the most common predictors of fertility in male screening. We propose that a mucus-penetration assay can isolate a cellular subpopulation critical to reproductive success. To this end, a device was designed with three modules (sample, test and collection) and its conditions of use evaluated (length of mucus, incubation time, mucus medium, sperm concentration and position in relation to the horizontal). The number of spermatozoa migrating and the viability and acrosomal status of the spermatozoa not migrating were calculated. The second objective was to evaluate the qualitative parameters of the spermatozoa migrating in 1.6% polyacrylamide for 30 min. The number of spermatozoa migrating and the sperm motility, viability and the acrosomal and mitochondrial status of three sperm populations (fresh, not migrating and migrating) were determined. A higher number of migrating spermatozoa were observed after 60 min of incubation, but this situation adversely affected sperm quality. The methylcellulose-based test showed a significantly lower number of migrating spermatozoa than the polyacrylamide test. The position at an angle of 45° resulted in a higher number of migrating spermatozoa in the polyacrylamide-based test. The sperm counts for three consecutive assays indicated an acceptable repeatability of the method. The viability and acrosomal status of the migrating spermatozoa showed no significant changes with regard to the control when the device was placed at 45°, whereas these parameters showed lower values at 0°. The percentage of high mitochondrial membrane potential spermatozoa was significantly reduced in the population of migrating spermatozoa.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 4520
Author(s):  
Ana Paula Pinoti Pavaneli ◽  
Sandra Recuero ◽  
Bruna Resende Chaves ◽  
Estela Garcia-Bonavila ◽  
Marc Llavanera ◽  
...  

Although seminal plasma is essential to maintain sperm integrity and function, it is diluted/removed prior to liquid storage and cryopreservation in most mammalian species. This study sought to evaluate, using the pig as a model, whether storing semen in the presence of seminal plasma affects the sperm ability to elicit in vitro capacitation and acrosomal exocytosis. Upon collection, seminal plasma was separated from sperm samples, which were diluted in a commercial extender, added with seminal plasma (15% or 30%), and stored at 17 °C for 48 or 72 h. Sperm cells were subsequently exposed to capacitating medium for 4 h, and then added with progesterone to induce acrosomal exocytosis. Sperm motility, acrosome integrity, membrane lipid disorder, intracellular Ca2+ levels, mitochondrial activity, and tyrosine phosphorylation levels of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3)α/β were determined after 0, 2, and 4 h of incubation, and after 5, 30, and 60 min of progesterone addition. Results showed that storing sperm at 17 °C with 15% or 30% seminal plasma led to reduced percentages of viable spermatozoa exhibiting an exocytosed acrosome, mitochondrial membrane potential, intracellular Ca2+ levels stained by Fluo3, and tyrosine phosphorylation levels of GSK3α/β after in vitro capacitation and progesterone-induced acrosomal exocytosis. Therefore, the direct contact between spermatozoa and seminal plasma during liquid storage at 17 °C modulated their ability to elicit in vitro capacitation and undergo acrosomal exocytosis, via signal transduction pathways involving Ca2+ and Tyr phosphorylation of GSK3α/β. Further research is required to address whether such a modulating effect has any impact upon sperm fertilizing ability.


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