Animal Reproduction Science最新文献

{"title":"A metabolomic study uncovering key amino acids and amines in Duroc boar semen as biomarkers of sexual maturity","authors":"Asmita Shrestha ,&nbsp;Ann Helen Gaustad ,&nbsp;Janne Beate Øiaas ,&nbsp;Elisabeth Kommisrud ,&nbsp;Maren van Son ,&nbsp;Anna Nordborg ,&nbsp;Anne Hege Alm-Kristiansen","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107800","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107800","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Metabolomic analysis of boar semen associated with sexual maturation is essential for improving fertility management and breeding, with amino acids and amines playing key roles in the reproductive process. This study aimed to explore changes in amino acids and amines in boar spermatozoa and seminal plasma during puberty to sexual maturity and identify potential biomarkers of sexual maturity. Semen was collected from the same 15 Duroc boars over time at approximately 7 months (Age 1), 8.5 months (Age 2), and 10 months (Age 3). Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyse amino acids and amines in spermatozoa and seminal plasma separately. Multivariate analysis (PLS-DA) revealed pronounced age-dependent changes in amino acids and amines in spermatozoa between Age 1 and Age 3, and more subtle shifts in seminal plasma. Univariate analysis (Repeated measure ANOVA/Friedman) revealed that glutamate and taurine had significant pairwise differences in seminal plasma (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). In sperm, 15 amino acids (glutamate, alanine, aspartate, choline, taurine, histidine, methionine, tryptophan, leucine, cystine, tyrosine, arginine, lysine, valine and glycine) exhibited significant pairwise differences (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). VIP scoring (&gt;1.5) prioritised glutamate, alanine, aspartate, and choline as key contributors to the variations and pathway analysis implicated alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, and histidine metabolism linked to sexual maturity. Our study highlights metabolic changes during sexual maturation, identifying potential biomarkers for assessing reproductive maturity. These findings are initial steps toward optimising younger boars' usage in breeding, enhancing genetic gain, and reducing costs associated with their non-productive days at AI centres.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 107800"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143474586","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The use of wheat grass juice as a promising functional feed additive for enhancing reproductive performance and larvae quality of sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus)","authors":"C.-A. Barbacariu ,&nbsp;G. Dumitru ,&nbsp;L. Dîrvariu ,&nbsp;D.A. Şerban ,&nbsp;I. Dincheva ,&nbsp;E. Todirascu-Ciornea ,&nbsp;M. Burducea","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107796","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107796","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The optimization of broodstock nutrition remains a critical challenge in sturgeon aquaculture. This study investigated the effects of wheatgrass juice (WGJ) supplementation of sterlet (<em>Acipenser ruthenus</em>) broodstock on reproductive performance, larval quality, hematological profile and oxidative status. Female sterlets were randomly assigned to three groups: control diet (V1), WGJ-supplemented diet (V2, 4 % inclusion), both (V1 and V2) hormonally stimulated and saline solution (V3) without hormonal stimulation. WGJ's chemical composition revealed substantial levels of bioactive compounds, including chlorophyll (a: 0.936 ± 0.01, b: 0.329 ± 0.01 mg/mL fw), carotenoids (0.167 ± 0.01 mg/mL fw), proteins (1.205 ± 0.04 mg PSB/mL fw), flavonoids (7.381 ± 0.31 mg/mL fw), and polyphenols (2.963 ± 0.05 mg/mL fw). WGJ supplementation significantly enhanced reproductive parameters, with V2 showing higher egg production (0.23 ± 0.03 kg vs. 0.13 ± 0.01 kg) and gonadosomatic index (14.48 ± 1.73 vs. 8.05 ± 0.51) compared to V1. Larvae from WGJ-supplemented females exhibited significantly improved length (10.9 ± 0.3 cm vs. 9.8 ± 0.14 cm, p &lt; 0.001) and weight parameters. Analysis of oxidative stress markers revealed tissue-specific modulation of antioxidant systems, with WGJ supplementation reducing malondialdehyde levels across tissues (muscle: 1.061 ± 0.075 vs. 1.888 ± 0.105 nM/mg protein, p &lt; 0.0001) and enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities. Hematological parameters remained within physiological ranges, with reduced neutrophil counts in the WGJ group suggesting potential immunomodulatory effects. These findings establish WGJ as a promising functional feed additive for enhancing reproductive performance in sterlet aquaculture, while maintaining optimal physiological status through improved antioxidant defense mechanisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 107796"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143429542","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nicotinamide mononucleotide enhances porcine sperm quality by activating the SIRT3-SOD2/ROS pathway and promoting oxidative phosphorylation","authors":"Haize Zhang,&nbsp;Xue Qin,&nbsp;Nataraj Bojan,&nbsp;Chaoyue Cao,&nbsp;Jiawen Chai,&nbsp;Weijun Pang","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107797","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107797","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sperm quality is crucial for animal reproduction but is often deteriorates due to oxidative stress. Preserving functionality during storage by protecting it from oxidative stress is crucial for enhancing the success of assisted reproductive technologies and maintaining fertility. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (<strong>NMN</strong>), a precursor of Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (<strong>NAD</strong>^{<strong>+</strong>}), acts as a potent antioxidant. However, its role and regulatory mechanism in porcine sperm liquid preservation <em>in vitro</em> are remains unclear. In this study we demonstrated that NMN supplementation in the semen diluent significantly improved porcine sperm quality during storage at 17 °C by increasing NAD⁺ concentrations and decreasing the reactive oxygen species (<strong>ROS</strong>) concentrations in sperm. Subsequent analysis revealed that NMN, upon conversion to NAD⁺ within sperm, exerted antioxidant effect by upregulating the mitochondrial protein sirtuin 3 (<strong>SIRT3</strong>), resulting in the downregulation of superoxide dismutase 2 (<strong>SOD2</strong>) acetylation. This pathway mitigated oxidative stress. Additionally, NMN also enhanced sperm oxidative phosphorylation (<strong>OXPHOS</strong>) thereby increase adenosine triphosphate (<strong>ATP</strong>) production concentrations via activating SIRT3, without affecting sperm glycolysis. Furthermore, the semen diluent supplemented with 50 μg/mL NMN resulted in improved reproductive outcomes, including the birth of healthier piglets and a reduction in stillbirths rates following artificial insemination (<strong>AI</strong>). Taken together, NMN improves porcine sperm quality through SIRT3-activating the SOD2/ROS axis and oxidative phosphorylation. Our findings advance understanding of sperm physiology and metabolism and provide a new avenue promising approach for developing innovative semen diluents for liquid preservation in animal reproduction biology <em>in vitro.</em></div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 107797"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143428205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of dietary supplementation of Bacillus subtilis QST 713 on constipation, reproductive performance and offspring growth performance of sows","authors":"Fuyong Li ,&nbsp;Deyuan Wu ,&nbsp;Kaidi Ma ,&nbsp;Tanghong Wei ,&nbsp;Junyi Wu ,&nbsp;Shijian Zhou ,&nbsp;Shizhe Xiang ,&nbsp;Zhenpeng Zhu ,&nbsp;Xiandong Zhang ,&nbsp;Chengquan Tan ,&nbsp;Hefeng Luo ,&nbsp;Jinping Deng","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107785","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107785","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The experiment aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with <em>Bacillus subtilis</em> QST 713 (BS) on the reproductive performance, perinatal constipation, and offspring growth performance of sows. 78 multiparous Landrace-Yorkshire sows with same parity and backfat thickness were divided into 2 groups: a basal diet group (CON) and a basal diet supplemented with 1.5 × 10⁹ CFU/kg BS. The experiment was conducted from day 85 of gestation to day 21 of lactation. Reproductive performance, lactation performance, and perinatal fecal scores of sows were recorded. Samples were collected for subsequent analysis, including the feces of sows on day 110 of gestation, colostrum within 2 hours of parturition, milk on day 21 of lactation and feces from sows on day 21 of lactation. The results showed that, compared with the CON group, the BS group significantly shortened the duration of parturition (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.01) and the average birth interval of piglets (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), reduced stillbirth rate (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) and invalid piglet rate (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). Additionally, the BS group increased the content of protein (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) and level of IgM in colostrum (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), as well as the average daily gain (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) of weaned piglets. The BS group increased the perinatal fecal score (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) of sows, decreased the incidence of post-partum constipation (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), and increased the relative abundance of <em>Lactobacillus</em> (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) in feces on day 110 of gestation. In summary, a maternal diet supplemented with BS reduced the stillbirth rate by shortening the duration of parturition, alleviated perinatal constipation, and improved intestinal microbiota, meanwhile improving the growth performance of piglets by increasing nutrients and immunoglobulins in colostrum.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 107785"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143428250","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Deciphering the mechanism of sperm cell aging – Functional, structural, and kinematic characteristics in fresh semen of mature and aged dogs","authors":"Kenneth Owoicho Abah ,&nbsp;Zuzanna Ligocka-Kowalczyk ,&nbsp;Agnieszka Partyka ,&nbsp;Sylwia Prochowska ,&nbsp;Alain Fontbonne ,&nbsp;Wojciech Nizanski","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107798","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107798","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to evaluate fresh semen from mature and senile dogs, identify differences in sperm parameters, and determine the correlations between sperm variables and semen quality. Forty dogs were divided into two groups based on age: mature, aged 2–4 years (<em>n</em> = 20); and senile, aged ≥ 9 years (<em>n</em> = 20). Two or three ejaculates, totaling 107 samples, were collected from each dog and evaluated for various parameters including motility and sperm movement kinematics, morphology and viability, membrane lipid disorder, DNA integrity, membrane integrity, mitochondrial potential, seminal plasma total antioxidant capacity, apoptotic-like changes, and proAKAP4 protein levels. The results showed significantly lower values for progressive motility, average path velocity, straight-line velocity, and curvilinear velocity in senile dogs than in mature dogs (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001). At the same time, the proportions of slow motile and static sperm were higher in senile dogs (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). The semen of senile dogs was characterized by a higher percentage of apoptotic sperm, lower mitochondrial potential, higher levels of proAKAP4, and a higher percentage of defective spermatozoa (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.01). The two groups had no significant differences in DNA fragmentation, membrane lipid disorder, and total antioxidant capacity in the seminal plasma. In conclusion, advancing male age in dogs is associated with the expression of early apoptotic-like changes, as evidenced by significantly increased permeability of the sperm membrane to YO-PRO-1 and low mitochondrial potential. These apoptotic markers were correlated with reduced sperm quality parameters, highlighting the impact of aging on sperm functionality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 107798"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143403470","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The interplay between thyroxine and cortisol in zebrafish: Effects on growth, physiology, and reproduction","authors":"Hamed Abdollahpour,&nbsp;Naghmeh Jafari Pastaki,&nbsp;Bahram Falahatkar","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107795","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107795","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the current study, the role of thyroxine (T4) and cortisol (CO) on growth, reproduction, and whole-body hormone levels in male and female zebrafish was assayed. Fifty-seven days post-fertilization, zebrafish [132 females; initial weight: 0.3 ± 0.0 g and 132 males (initial weight: 0.2 ± 0.0 g)] were fed with diets including 10 mg T4 kg feed⁻¹ (T4), 10 mg CO kg feed⁻¹ (CO), 10 mg T4 kg feed⁻¹ + 10 mg CO kg feed⁻¹ (T4 + CO), and a control group (without hormones) for 28 days. At the end of the experiment, growth performance, feed utilization, whole-body hormone levels, gonadal development, and spawning performance were determined. The growth performance was improved following T4 administration in both males and females. Viscerosomatic and gonadosomatic indices in females were significantly enhanced in the T4 group compared with the other groups. Regarding oocyte developmental stages, a lower number of oocytes at final maturation were found in the CO group compared with the other treatments. Oocyte diameter was significantly increased in T4 compared with the other groups. Whole-body CO levels in both males and females were increased and decreased in CO and T4 treatments, respectively. Moreover, whole-body thyroid hormone levels in both sexes were higher in T4 group than the other groups. The hatching rate and survival rate at three days post-hatch were increased in the T4 group. Overall, the findings of this study underscore the stimulatory role of T4 in enhancing the physiological performance of zebrafish, leading to improved growth and increased reproductive output in both males and females.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 107795"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143419157","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"De-SUMO1ylated hexokinase 1 selectively degraded by ubiquitin-proteasome pathway promotes boar sperm capacitation in vitro","authors":"Shunfa Yao ,&nbsp;Qinglong Xu ,&nbsp;Yanqiu Lv,&nbsp;Yuyang Zhang,&nbsp;Hao Li,&nbsp;Junzheng Zhang,&nbsp;Zhiwei Yao,&nbsp;Yang An,&nbsp;Xuan Chen,&nbsp;Yi Jin","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107794","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107794","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the effect of de-SUMOylated hexokinase 1 (HK1) degradation on sperm capacitation in vitro. Sperm from adult Landrace pigs was divided into three groups: non-capacitated group, capacitated group, and 16 mM 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) group. Immunoprecipitation was performed to detect the binding levels of HK1 and small ubiquitin-like modifier 1 (SUMO1) before and after capacitation. Western blotting was used to assess the degradation pathways of HK1 and tyrosine phosphorylation levels after capacitation. Immunofluorescence was employed to localize HK1 and SUMO1 in sperm. A kit was used to measure pyruvate and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content. Fluorescent staining was used to detect reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, zinc (Zn²⁺) levels, calcium (Ca²⁺) levels, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in sperm. Hoechst 33342 staining was used to visualize sperm nuclei and assess sperm-oocyte adhesion rates. The results showed that inhibition of HK1 activity significantly reduced pyruvate and ATP content, sperm capacitation markers (tyrosine phosphorylation, Zn²⁺), MMP, and sperm adhesion rates (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), while significantly increasing ROS levels in capacitated sperm (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.01). Immunoprecipitation and Western blotting results indicated that HK1 undergoes de-SUMOylation during capacitation and is selectively degraded via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.01). Our findings suggest that de-SUMOylated HK1 activates the glycolytic pathway through ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (UPP) degradation, thereby promoting sperm capacitation. These results provide new theoretical insights into the molecular mechanisms of sperm capacitation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 107794"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143396012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effective standardization of bovine frozen semen sperm motility analysis in a multi-laboratory setting","authors":"Leonardo F.C. Brito ,&nbsp;Clara González-Marín,&nbsp;Pablo Ross","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107793","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107793","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sperm motility is the only functional parameter that is part of basic semen analysis, and its results have important implications for clinical practice and the production of semen doses for artificial insemination. However, substantial variations in sperm motility analysis within and across laboratories have been reported. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the precision and accuracy of sperm motility analysis in a controlled, multi-laboratory setting. Ten batches of conventional and sexed bovine frozen semen were produced, with three replicates of the same batch coded with different identification numbers. Sperm motility evaluations were performed using computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) systems by nine technicians across six laboratories, during three test periods conducted over one year. The overall intra-technician CV was 14.7 % for conventional semen and 13.9 % for sexed semen. Bland-Altman plots showed that the mean differences of individual test results from the overall mean were close to zero (-0.4–1.1 %), with most differences (61.5 %) ranging between ± 5 %. In conclusion, precise and accurate sperm motility results were obtained by qualified technicians when following standardized procedures and utilizing CASA systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 107793"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143372396","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Protective effect of supplementation with water soluble β-carotene and α-tocopherol in boar sperm cooling-freezing extender, but not in the thawing extender","authors":"Adrián Martín-San Juan ,&nbsp;Eduardo de Mercado ,&nbsp;Helena Nieto-Cristóbal ,&nbsp;Andrea Cabero ,&nbsp;Miguel Ángel Silvestre ,&nbsp;Jane M. Morrell ,&nbsp;Manuel Álvarez-Rodríguez","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107792","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107792","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cryopreservation of sperm is a crucial tool for the long-term preservation of male genetic material, causing significant issues in motility, membrane, and acrosome integrity, among other parameters. Antioxidants have been used to cope with these detrimental effects. We tested 1. the toxicity of a wide range of water soluble β-carotene (β: 250–4000 µM) and α-tocopherol (α: 31–496 µM) concentrations on boar ejaculated sperm (n = 6) in parameters as motility, viability, acrosome reaction, apoptosis, oxidation, mitochondrial activation and membrane potential; 2. the effect of various β-carotene (250–1000 µM) and α-tocopherol (31–124 µM) concentrations added to the cooling-freezing or thawing extenders (n = 30) before (0 min) and after 90 min incubation (37 °C). Toxicity results showed a decrease in the proportion of live spermatozoa with non-reacted acrosome from 75.1 ± 3.3 % using β250/α31 to 60.1 ± 5.7 % and 59.3 ± 5.4 % in samples with β2000/α248 and β4000/α496 respectively (p &lt; 0.05), suggesting a detrimental effect of the highest concentrations. Antioxidant supplementation in the cooling-freezing extender decreased the apoptotic and oxidized spermatozoa in β500/α62 and β1000/α124, relative to the control. In contrast, antioxidants addition to the thawing extender induced some detrimental effects in several sperm parameters analyzed. In conclusion, water-soluble β-carotene and α-tocopherol prevent acrosome reaction and oxidation during cooling-freezing on boar sperm. High concentrations of these antioxidants negatively impacted motility and mitochondrial function, suggesting cytotoxic effects and potential capacitation-like changes. The β1000/α124 showed protective effects during cryopreservation, but post-thawing supplementation may stimulate oxidative stress rather than prevent it.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 107792"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143349322","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Selenium yeast alleviates diquat-induced oxidative stress and testicular damage in roosters","authors":"Ningna Xiong ,&nbsp;Sili Liu ,&nbsp;Wei Hu ,&nbsp;Yamei Liu ,&nbsp;Xiang Ding ,&nbsp;Deming Xu ,&nbsp;Yiqiang Ling ,&nbsp;Manxin Fang ,&nbsp;Ben Liu ,&nbsp;Lucheng Zheng ,&nbsp;Wenya Zheng ,&nbsp;Bingyan Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2024.107760","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2024.107760","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diquat (DQ) is a pro-oxidant that generates free radicals in cells through redox reactions, leading to the induction of oxidative stress. During the processes of growth and reproduction, poultry are particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress. Selenium yeast (SeY) serves as an organic selenium source characterized by high activity and low toxicity, imparting antioxidant effects. The objective of this study was to assess the protective effects of SeY against DQ-induced oxidative stress in rooster testicles.The results demonstrated that SeY pretreatment mitigated DQ-induced oxidative damage in the testes. This mitigation encompassed the alleviation of inhibited spermatogenesis, reduced spermatogenic cell abundance, and the alleviation of decreased expression of genes StAR, P450scc, and 3β-HSD which related to testosterone synthesis. Specifically, SeY pretreatment counteracted DQ-induced oxidative stress by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 antioxidant signaling pathway, enhancing the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT) and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), and reducing the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA). Furthermore, SeY pretreatment attenuated DQ-induced spermatogonia apoptosis by modulating the expression of apoptosis-related genes and proteins, including Bax, Bcl-2, Caspase3, and NF-κB. Additionally, SeY restored the proliferative capacity of spermatogenic cells by promoting the expression of the proliferation-related protein Ki67. The aforementioned findings signify that SeY effectively safeguards the testes against DQ-induced damage through mechanisms involving the reduction of oxidative stress, inhibition of apoptosis, promotion of proliferation, and enhancing the expression of testosterone synthesis related genes. This study lays a solid theoretical foundation for future research aimed at safeguarding the reproductive health of male poultry exposed to agricultural pesticides.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107760"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142930718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}