Lycopene Offers Protection against Oxidative Damage in Frozen-Thawn Bovine Semen
Keywords:
bulls, lipid peroxidation, lycopene, reactive oxygen species, spermatozoaAbstract
Oxidative stress associated with spermatozoa cryopreservation may result in lipid peroxidation (LPO), DNA damage and apoptosis, leading to decreased sperm motility and fertilization ability. Lycopene, the most powerful singlet oxygen quencher of all carotenoids, may be a possible option for a more effective semen cryopreservation because of its antioxidant properties. This study focused to evaluate the effects of lycopene on selected oxidative stress parameters in cryopreserved bovine sperm. Ten bovine ejaculates were splitted into two aliquots and diluted with a commercial semen extender containing lycopene (1.5 mM/L) or no supplement (control), cooled to 4°C, frozen and kept in liquid nitrogen. Frozen straws were thawn in a water bath for subsequent experiments. Computer assisted semen analysis was used to evaluate spermatozoa motility, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was quantified using luminometry and LPO was assessed via the TBARS assay. Lycopene supplementation significantly (P<0.001) increased the spermatozoa motility and provided a significantly (P<0.001) higher protection against ROS overgeneration caused by semen freezing and thawing. It was determined that the presence of lycopene resulted in a significantly (P<0.001) lower LPO of the spermatozoa membranes. In conclusion, lycopene supplementation may be recommended to facilitate the improvement of semen preservation in bovine breeding industry.
References
Holt, W.T., Basic aspects of frozen storage of semen. Animal Reproduction Science, 2000a, 62, 3-22.
Holt, W.T., Fundamental aspects of sperm cryobiology: the importance of species and individual differences. Theriogenology, 2000b, 53, 47-58.
Alvarez, J.G., Storey, B.T., Taurine, hypotaurine, epinephrine and albumin inhibit lipid peroxidation in rabbit spermatozoa and protect against loss of motility. Biology of Reproduction, 1983, 29, 548-555.
Nissen, H.P., Kreysel, H.W., Superoxide dismutase in human semen. Klinische Wochenschrift, 1983, 61, 63-65.
Chatterjee, S., De Lamirande, E., Gagnon, C., Cryopreservation alters membrane sulfhydryl status of bull spermatozoa: protection by oxidized glutathione. Molecular Reproduction and Development, 2001, 60, 498-506.
Gadea, J., Selles, E., Marco, M.A., Coy, P., Matas, C., Romar, R., Ruiz, S., Decrease in glutathione content in boar sperm after cryopreservation. Effect of the addition of reduced glutathione to the freezing and thawing extenders. Theriogenology, 2004, 62, 690-701.
Bucak, M.N., Tuncer, P.B., Sarıozkan, S., Baspınar, N., Taspınar, M., Coyan, K., Bilgili, A., Akalın, P.P., Buyukleblebici, S., Aydos, S., Ilgaz, S., Sunguroglu, A., Oztuna, D., Effects of antioxidants on post-thawed bovine sperm and oxidative stress parameters: antioxidants protect DNA integrity against cryodamage. Cryobiology, 2010, 61, 248-253.
Di Mascio, P., Kaiser, S., Sies, H., Lycopene as the most efficient biological carotenoid singlet oxygen quencher. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 1989, 274, 532-538.
Uysal, O., Bucak, M.N., Effect of oxidized glutathione, bovine serum albumin, cysteine and lycopene on the quality of frozen thawed ram semen. Acta Veterinaria Brno, 2007, 76, 383-390.
Bucak, M.N., Ataman, M.B., Baspinar, N., Uysal, O., Taspınar, M., Bilgili, A., Ozturk, C., Gungor, S., Inanc, M.E., Aka, E., Lycopene and resveratrol improve post-thaw bull sperm parameters: sperm motility, mitochondrial activity and DNA integrity. Andrologia, 2015, 47, 545–552.
Zini, A., San Gabriel, M., Libman, J., Lycopene supplementation in vitro can protect human sperm deoxyribonucleic acid from oxidative damage. Fertility and Sterility, 9, 1033-1036.
Kashou, A.H., Sharma, R., Agarwal, A., Assessment of oxidative stress in sperm and semen. Methods in Molecular Biology, 2013, 927, 351-361.
Tvrda, E., Knazicka, Z., Lukac, N., Selected heavy metals versus antioxidant parameters in bull seminal plasma - a comparative study. Journal of Environmental Science and Health. Part A, Toxic/Hazardous Substances & Environmental Engineering, 2012, 47, 1261-1266.
Wang, X., Sharma, R.K., Sikka, S.C., Thomas, A.J. Jr., Falcone, T., Agarwal, A., Oxidative stress is associated with increased apoptosis leading to spermatozoa DNA damage in patients with male factor infertility. Fertility and Sterility, 2003, 80(3), 531-535.
Rosato, M.P., Centoducati, G., Santacroce, M.P., Iaffaldano, N., Effects of lycopene on in vitro quality and lipid peroxidation in refrigerated and cryopreserved turkey spermatozoa. British Poultry Science, 2012, 53(4), 545-552.
Kasai, T., Ogawa, K., Mizuno, K., Nagai, S., Uchida, Y., Ohta, S., Fujie, M., Suzuki, K., Hirata, S., Hoshi, K., Relationship between sperm mitochondrial membrane potential, sperm motility, and fertility potential. Asian Journal of Andrology, 2002, 4(2), 97-103.
Martinez-Pastor, F., Johannisson, A., Gil, J., Kaabi, M., Anel, L., Paz, P., Rodriguez-Martinez, H., Use of chromatin stability assay, mitochondrial stain JC-1, and fluorometric assessment of plasma membrane to evaluate frozen-thawed ram semen. Animal Reproduction Science, 2004, 84(1-2), 121-133.
Rosato, M.P., Di Iorio, M., Manchisi, A., Gambacorta, M., Petrosino, G., Centoducati, G., Santacroce, M.P., Iaffaldano, N., In vitro survival and lipid peroxidation status of rabbit spermatozoa after both chilled and frozen storage in lycopene enriched extenders. Livestock Science, 2012, 146, 199-202.
Maxwell, W.M.C., Watson, P.F., Recent progress in the preservation of ram semen. Animal Reproduction Science, 1996, 42, 55-65.
Bucak, M.N., Baspınar, N., Tuncer, P.B., Sarıozkan, .S, Akalın, P.P., Coyan, K., Effects of curcumin and dithioerythritol on frozen-thawed bovine semen. Andrologia, 2012, 44, 102-109.
Coyan, K., Baspınar, N., Bucak, M.N., Akalın, P.P., Effects of cysteine and ergothioneine on post-thawed Merino ram sperm and biochemical parameters. Cryobiology, 2011, 63, 1-6.
