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Journal ArticleDOI

Roles of Antioxidants on Prolonged Storage of Avian Spermatozoa In Vivo and In Vitro

TL;DR: Dietary supplementation with vitamin E is effective in limiting lipid peroxidation of sperm plasma membranes, both in chickens and turkeys, and organic Se with or without vitamin E stimulates Se‐GSH‐Px activity in seminal plasma.
Abstract: This review focuses on natural and assisted prevention against lipid peroxidation in avian spermatozoa. The presence of high levels of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the plasma membrane creates favorable conditions for the formation of peroxidative products, a major cause of membrane damage which may ultimately impair male fertility. However, a complex antioxidant system involving vitamin C, vitamin E and GSH is naturally present in avian semen. Coupled with a battery of enzymatic defenses (e.g., SOD, GSH-Px either Se- or non-Se-dependent), this system acts to prevent or restrict the formation and propagation of peroxides. The presence of specialized sites dedicated to prolonged sperm storage in avian females raises the question of durable protection of sperm membranes against peroxidation. Preliminary observations have revealed the presence of a specific antioxidant system at these sites in which vitamin C could exert a major role. From a practical standpoint, the extensive use of artificial insemination in poultry, along with the emergence in some species of workable techniques to cryopreserve spermatozoa, demand better control of peroxidation occurring in the plasma membrane of spermatozoa before or during storage. Dietary supplementation with vitamin E is effective in limiting lipid peroxidation of sperm plasma membranes, both in chickens and turkeys. In addition, organic Se with or without vitamin E stimulates Se-GSH-Px activity in seminal plasma. Preliminary observations in female chickens have also revealed the effectiveness of dietary supplementation with vitamin E, organic selenium or both to sustain fertility in aging flocks.
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Journal ArticleDOI
Aldo Poiani1
TL;DR: The diversity of microorganismal, cellular and molecular components of seminal fluids can be interpreted in the light of emergence of co-adapted complexes, host–parasite coevolution, male–female arms races, sperm competition, pleiotropy and redundancy of function.
Abstract: The seminal fluid is a complex medium containing a great variety of molecules, mainly produced by sex accessory glands, and also cells other than spermatozoa (e.g. leucocytes). In this paper, I review current knowledge on composition of seminal fluid in both vertebrates (mainly mammals) and invertebrates (mainly insects) with internal fertilisation, in the light of possible benefits of seminal fluid components to males (e.g. sperm capacitation, sperm competition and fertilisation), possible costs to males (e.g. autoimmunity, antigenic effects), potential benefits to females being inseminated (e.g. food, immunostimulation and antibiotic effects) and potential costs to females (e.g. transmission of venereal diseases). The diversity of microorganismal, cellular and molecular components of seminal fluids can be interpreted in the light of emergence of co-adapted complexes, host–parasite coevolution, male–female arms races, sperm competition, pleiotropy and redundancy of function.

455 citations


Cites background from "Roles of Antioxidants on Prolonged ..."

  • ...Avian semen also contains antioxidant molecules such as vitamins C and E (Breque et al. 2003)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The mating-dependent genes that the authors have identified contribute to many biological processes including metabolism, immune defense, and protein modification.

317 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A number of changes induced during processing and storage of equine sperm also appear to induce apoptotic-like changes which may adversely affect sperm survival and function, and this review will examine current understanding of these processes on theEquine sperm function.

246 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
15 Jun 2006-Nature
TL;DR: It is shown that sperm storage carries a significant cost of reduced immunity during colony founding and the immune response was lower when more males contributed to the stored sperm, indicating that there might be an additional cost of mating or storing genetically different ejaculates.
Abstract: Ant queens are among the most long-lived insects known. They mate early in adult life and maintain millions of viable sperm in their sperm storage organ until they die many years later. Because they never re-mate, the reproductive success of queens is ultimately sperm-limited, but it is not known what selective forces determine the upper limit to sperm storage. Here we show that sperm storage carries a significant cost of reduced immunity during colony founding. Newly mated queens of the leaf-cutting ant Atta colombica upregulate their immune response shortly after completing their nest burrow, probably as an adaptive response to a greater exposure to pathogens in the absence of grooming workers. However, the immune response nine days after colony founding is negatively correlated with the amount of sperm in the sperm storage organ, indicating that short-term survival is traded off against long-term reproductive success. The immune response was lower when more males contributed to the stored sperm, indicating that there might be an additional cost of mating or storing genetically different ejaculates.

188 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, an overview of the biochemical basis and conceptual frameworks behind oxidative stress and antioxidants, the research questions and hypotheses that are generated by incorporating antioxidants and oxidative stress into models of life-history theory, ageing, mate selection, and honest signalling, and the trends in the evidence that have emerged from initial studies in these areas.
Abstract: Summary 1. Initial work on oxidative stress and antioxidant defences described basic chemical and biochemical properties and processes and applied this information to issues of animal health and husbandry. Seminal experimental investigations on the damaging effects of oxidative stress and the mitigating effects of antioxidant defences were conducted primarily in domesticated organisms. 2. In recent years, ecologists have taken to studying antioxidants and oxidative stress in free-ranging organisms and have integrated principles of oxidative stress into several core evolutionary concepts, such as life-history trade-offs (e.g. survival vs. reproduction), senescence and sexual selection. This initial flurry of studies has provided major advances in our understanding of how antioxidant defences evolve and function. 3. In this overview, it is our goal to provide ecologists with an accessible summary of (i) the biochemical basis and conceptual frameworks behind oxidative stress and antioxidants, (ii) the research questions and hypotheses that are generated by incorporating antioxidants and oxidative stress into models of life-history theory, ageing, mate selection, and honest signalling, and (iii) the trends in the evidence that have emerged from initial studies in these areas. 4. Though much progress has been made on the ecological and evolutionary relevance of antioxidant and oxidative stress physiology, no consensus has emerged regarding the primacy of how oxidative stress challenges or antioxidant limits or values shape organismal life-histories. However, there are many taxonomic biases in studies to date and several ideal environmental systems that are as-of-yet untapped.

153 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The data suggest that ROS induce a chain of events leading to sperm immobilization, that axonemes are affected, and that limited endogenous repair mechanisms exist to reverse these damages.
Abstract: Mammalian spermatozoa are sensitive to oxygen-induced damages mediated by lipid peroxidation of the cell membrane. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether reactive oxygen species (ROS) could also induce axonemal damage. When Percoll-separated spermatozoa were treated with hydrogen peroxide, or the combination xanthine and xanthine oxidase (X + XO), there was a progressive decrease, leading to a complete arrest, in sperm flagellar beat frequency. Once demembranated in a medium containing magnesium adenosine triphosphate (Mg.ATP), ROS-immobilized spermatozoa still reactivated motility; however, the percentage and duration of motility obtained in these tests gradually decreased to zero in the next hour. In 50% of the cases, motility of intact spermatozoa spontaneously reinitiated after 6 to 24 hours of immobilization due to ROS treatment, although with percentages and beat frequencies lower than those of untreated spermatozoa. Studies using ROS scavengers (such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, and dimethylsulfoxide) indicated that hydrogen peroxide was the most toxic of the ROS involved, but that .O2- and .OH probably also played a role in immobilization of spermatozoa by ROS. The data suggest that ROS induce a chain of events leading to sperm immobilization, that axonemes are affected, and that limited endogenous repair mechanisms exist to reverse these damages.

603 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A mechanism for spontaneous lipid peroxidation in mammalian sperm is postulated which involves reaction of lipid hydroperoxide and O2 as the rate-determining step and the key intermediate is lipid hydro peroxide generated by a chain reaction initiated by and utilizing superoxide.
Abstract: Mouse and human spermatozoa, but not rabbit spermatozoa, have long been known to be sensitive to loss of motility induced by exogenous H2O2. Recent work has shown that loss of sperm motility in these species correlates with the extent of spontaneous lipid peroxidation. In this study, the effect of H2O2 on this reaction in sperm of the three species was investi gated. The rate of spontaneous lipid peroxidation in mouse and human sperm is markedly enhanced in the presence of 1-5 mM H2O2, while the rate in rabbit sperm is unaffected by H2O2. The enhancement of lipid peroxidation, the rate of reaction of H2O2 with the cells, the activity of sperm glutathione peroxidase, and the endogenous glutathione content are highest in mouse sperm, intermediate in human sperm, and very low in rabbit sperm. Inac tivation of glutathione peroxidase occurs in the presence of H2O2 due to complete conver sion of endogenous glutathione to GSSG: No GSH is available as electron donor substrate to the peroxidase. Inactivation of glutathione peroxidase by the inhibitor mercaptosucci nate has the same effect on rate of lipid peroxidation and loss of motility in mouse and human sperm as does H2O2. This implies that H2O2 by itself at 1-5 mM is not intrinsically toxic to the cells. With merceptosuccinate, the endogenous glutathione is present as GSH in mouse and human sperm, indicating that the redox state of intracellular glutathione by itself plays little role in protecting the cell against spontaneous lipid peroxidation. Mouse and human sperm also have high rates of superoxide production. We conclude that the key intermediate in spontaneous lipid peroxidation is lipid hydroperoxide generated by a chain reaction initiated by and utilizing superoxide. Removal of this hydroperoxide by gluta thione peroxidase protects these sperm against peroxidation; inactivation of the peroxidase allows lipid hydroperoxide to increase and so increases the peroxidation rate. Rabbit sperm have low rates of superoxide reaction due to high activity of their superoxide dismutase; lack of endogenous glutathione and low peroxidase activity does not affect their rate or lipid peroxidation. As a result, these sperm are not affected by either H2O2 or mercapto-succinate. These results lead us to postulate a mechanism for spontaneous lipid peroxida tion in mammalian sperm which involves reaction of lipid hydroperoxide and O2 as the rate-determining step.

525 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A difference in both composition and thermotropic phase behavior of glycolipids between rooster and mammalian sperm is demonstrated which may be related to the greater tolerance of rooster sperm to rapid cooling.

486 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results suggest that poor motility is linked with membrane fragility and that spermatozoa with midpiece abnormalities probably have membrane and/or cytoplasmic antiperoxidant system defects.
Abstract: The formation of malondialdehyde (MDA), a product of lipid peroxidation (LPO), was measured in human spermatozoa from 27 subjects with normal sperm characteristics. Peroxidation of lipids in washed spermatozoa was induced by catalytic amounts of ferrous ions and ascorbate and malondialdehyde determined by thiobarbituric method. MDA formation varied considerably from one sample to another. The studied population showed a strong correlation between lipid peroxidation potential (amount of MDA formed by 10(8) spermatozoa after 1 hour of incubation) and 1) initial motility r = -0.623, P = 0.001; and 2) morphologic abnormalities of the midpiece r = 0.405, P = 0.05. These results suggest that poor motility is linked with membrane fragility and that spermatozoa with midpiece abnormalities probably have membrane and/or cytoplasmic antiperoxidant system defects. Because LPO potential is related to the two most important characteristics of fertility, it seems possible that it has the potential to become a good biochemical index of semen quality.

296 citations


"Roles of Antioxidants on Prolonged ..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Several observations in mammals have demonstrated that the formation of peroxides during in vitro storage of semen is followed by changes in sperm motility (Jones and Mann, 1973; Alvarez and Storey, 1989; Rao et al., 1989; de Lamirande and Gagnon, 1992), mid-piece abnormalities (Rao et al....

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  • ..., 1989; de Lamirande and Gagnon, 1992), mid-piece abnormalities (Rao et al., 1989), a decrease in sperm competence for sperm–oocyte fusion (Aitken, 1994), and a reduction in fertilizing potential (Aitken, 1994; Auger, 1998)....

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Trending Questions (1)
Which foods are rich in the antioxidant vitamin C?

Preliminary observations have revealed the presence of a specific antioxidant system at these sites in which vitamin C could exert a major role.