Protective effects of ρ-coumaric acid loaded on zinc oxide -nanoparticles on the quality of goat sperm during liquid preservation and developmental competence of resultant embryos

The storage of sperm at low temperatures can cause oxidative stress and damage, leading to decreased different functional parameters and fertilizing capacity. Nanoparticles (NPs) with antioxidative properties can be useful in improving sperm function and male fertility. Therefore, the current research aimed to study the supplementation of semen extender with ρ-coumaric acid (ρ-CA), ρ-coumaric acid-nanoparticles (PCNPs), zinc chloride (ZnCl₂), zinc oxide-NPs (ZnO-NPs), ρ-coumaric acid loaded on ZnO-nanoparticles (ρ-CA-ZnONPs) or their combinations and its effect on goat sperm quality parameters and fertility ability during cooling storage. Pooled semen from five Saanen goat was diluted and then supplemented with 100 μM ρ-CA, 0.1 μM PCNPs, 150 μg/mL ZnCl₂, 1 μg/mL ZnO-NPs, ρ-CA + ZnCl₂, PCNPs + ZnO-NPs and 0.001 μM ρ-CA-ZnONPs. All samples were assessed for sperm parameters at 0, 24, 48 and 72 h of storage and embryo developmental competence. Among all the treatments, supplementation of the extender with ρ-CA-ZnONPs and PCNPs + ZnO-NPs showed the greatest improvement of sperm viability, motility and plasma membrane integrity. Additionally, ρ-CA-ZnONPs was found to decrease ROS generation, lipid peroxidation and DNA damage compared to other treatments. It was observed that treatment of semen with ρ-CA-ZnONPs significantly affected blastocyst rate, the total cell number (TCN), trophectoderm (TE), and inner cell mass (ICM). Also, the best results were obtained when using ρ-CA-ZnONPs in the network and principal component analysis. Therefore, it is recommended to find and use the most effective concentration of ρ-CA-ZnONPs in an extender to prevent damage to goat semen during the cooling storage process and consequent fertility ability.