Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Animal Science and Fisheries, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran
2 Department of Animal science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Guilan, Rasht,, Iran
Abstract
Keywords
Main Subjects
Extended Abstract
Introduction
In all mammalian species, sperm cryopreservation is an essential Assisted Reproductive Technique (Davis and White, 2020). Sperm cryopreservation allows for long-term storage, transport of semen for long distances regardless of the location and gene dispersal of genetically superior animals from generation to generation (Veerkamp & Beerda, 2007). Because, there are several barriers associated to cryopreservation and Sperm are very sensitive to temperature changes, their viability is compromised after thawing. (Nijs et al., 2009). This, has led to an exhaustive series of studies on post-thaw sperm quality a bout of production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and integrity of plasma membrane because excessive production of ROS can impair sperm integrity causing male infertility. Propolis is a natural resinous substance collected by bees and mainly these isolated compounds belong to main groups, flavonoids (Malo et al., 2010). Propolis has several properties including antioxidant properties and it is considered as a strong natural antioxidant because it contains flavonoid as a scavenger of ROS for protecting cellular membranes from lipid peroxidation by increasing antioxidant enzymes to attack ROS (Farooqui & A. Farooqui., 2010). Therefore, In the present study, the effect of ether extract of propolis on the semen characteristics of Zel's ram under short and long-term preservation was investigated.
Materials and Methods
In the present study, the effect of ether extract of propolis on the semen characteristics of Zel's ram under short and long-term preservation was investigated. The experimental groups comprised different concentrations of ether extract (0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/mL) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The samples were evaluated at 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours after storage at 4 °C and following the freeze-thawing process. In this research, Sperms were collected from Four mature Zel's ram and after checking and confirming the quality, the sperms were mixed together. All ejaculates were diluted with a Tris-based cryoprotective extender. One week after freezing, four straws of each ram were thawed and evaluated and sperm quality traits motility, viability, membrane integrity, mitochondrial activity, malondialdehyde concentration (MDA), and morphology under short and long-term preservation was investigated.
Results and discussion
During the cold storage, sperm quality traits motility, viability, membrane integrity, mitochondrial activity, malondialdehyde concentration (MDA), and morphology increased significantly (P<0.05) at concentrations of 0.25 and 0.5 mg/mL ether extract in comparison with the control group. Our results revealed that the total motility, viability, and membrane integrity in the concentration of 0.5 mg/mL ether extract were higher than the control group (P<0.05) at 4 °C. Also, motility, viability and malondialdehyde concentration (MDA) were higher in concentrations of 0.25 mg/mL ether extract than in the control group in the freeze-thawing process. Mitochondrial activity and morphology of spermatozoid at 0.25 and 0.5 mg/mL ether extract were higher than the control group (P<0.05) in storage at 4 °C and freeze-thawing process. Addition of oleic acid to Tris-based extender improved the quality of ram semen post-thawing (Soltani, 2023). 2-Propen-1-one (Chalcones) has several properties including antioxidant. Chalcones improved the sperm quality and belong to the flavonoid class (Jasim et al., 2021). Oleic acid increased superoxide dismutase activities, the total antioxidant capacity levels, decreased the amounts of malondialdehyde and enhanced the motility of ram spermatozoa during liquid storage (Hashem et al., 2017). For maintaining motility, sperm requires ATP production and the mitochondrial - oxidation metabolic pathway works. Addition of Oleic acid and palmitic acid as the energy substrates for ATP production to the extender would increase sperm quality during the liquid storage (Zhu et al., 2020).
Conclusion
The results of this research indicated that adding ether extract at the concentrations of 0.25 and 0.5 mg/mL to the semen extender improved the quality of spermatozoid in the Zel breed sheep.
Azin Vahdat: Software, Formal analysis, Investigation, Writing - Original Draft.
Hamid Deldar: Conceptualization, Validation, Methodology, Supervision, Writing - Review & Editing, Project administration.
Zarbakht Ansari Pirsaraie: Validation, Advisor, Writing and Critical Review
Bahram Shohreh: Validation, Advisor, Writing and Critical Review
Essa Dirandeh: Validation, Advisor, Writing and Critical Review
All authors contributed equally to the conceptualization of the article and writing of the original and subsequent drafts.
The data supporting reported results are collected and used from published articles, to them we have referred in the manuscript.
The authors would like to thank all participants of the present study.
The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University (Ethical code: 23123914). The authors avoided data fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, and misconduct.
The author declares no conflict of interest.
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