M.R. Fernández-Santos

Male Fertility and Sex Ratio at Birth in Red Deer

Efforts to test sex ratio theory have focused mostly on females. However, when males possess traits that could enhance the reproductive success of sons, males would also benefit from the manipulation of the offspring sex ratio. We tested the prediction that more-fertile red deer males produce more sons. Our findings reveal that male fertility is positively related to the proportion of male offspring. We also show that there is a positive correlation between the percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa (a main determinant of male fertility) and the proportion of male offspring. Thus, males may contribute significantly to biases in sex ratio at birth among mammals, creating the potential for conflicts of interest between males and females.

Mitochondrial activity and forward scatter vary in necrotic, apoptotic and membrane-intact spermatozoan subpopulations.

In the present study, we have related mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsim) and forward scatter (FSC) to apoptotic-related changes in spermatozoa. Thawed red deer spermatozoa were incubated in synthetic oviductal fluid medium (37 degrees C, 5% CO2), with or without antioxidant (100 microm Trolox). At 0, 3, 6 and 9 h, aliquots were assessed for motility and were stained with a combination of Hoechst 33342, propidium ioide (PI), YO-PRO-1 and Mitotracker Deep Red for flow cytometry. The proportion of spermatozoa YO-PRO-1+ and PI+ (indicating a damaged plasmalemma; DEAD) increased, whereas that of YO-PRO-1- and PI- (INTACT) spermatozoa decreased. The proportion of YO-PRO-1+ and PI- spermatozoa (altered plasmalemma; APOPTOTIC) did not change. Both DEAD and APOPTOTIC spermatozoa had low DeltaPsim. Most high-DeltaPsim spermatozoa were INTACT, and their proportion decreased with time. The FSC signal also differed between different groups of spermatozoa, in the order APOPTOTIC > DEAD > INTACT/low DeltaPsim > INTACT/high DeltaPsim; however, the actual meaning of this difference is not clear. APOPTOTIC spermatozoa seemed motile at 0 h, but lost motility with time. Trolox only slightly improved the percentage of INTACT spermatozoa (P < 0.05). The population of APOPTOTIC spermatozoa in the present study may be dying cells, possibly with activated cell death pathways (loss of DeltaPsim). We propose that the sequence of spermatozoon death here would be: (1) loss of DeltaPsim; (2) membrane changes (YO-PRO-1+ and PI-); and (3) membrane damage (PI+). INTACT spermatozoa with low DeltaPsim or altered FSC may be compromised cells. The present study is the first that directly relates membrane integrity, apoptotic markers and mitochondrial status in spermatozoa. The results of the present study may help us understand the mechanisms leading to loss of spermatozoon viability after thawing.

Reactive oxygen species generators affect quality parameters and apoptosis markers differently in red deer spermatozoa

Fe(2)(+)/ascorbate, hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), and hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase (XOD) are commonly used for inducing oxidative stress on spermatozoa. A comparative study of these agents was carried out on thawed spermatozoa from red deer. First, we tested a high, medium, and low concentration of each agent: 100, 10, and 1 microM Fe(2)(+) (hydroxyl radical generator); 1 mM, 100, and 10 microM H(2)O(2); and 100, 10, and 1 mU/ml XOD (superoxide and H(2)O(2) generator), incubated at 37 degrees C for 180 min. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS; H(2)DCFDA) increased with dose and time similarly for the three systems at each concentration level. Motility and mitochondrial membrane potential (Deltapsi(m)) were considerably decreased by H(2)O(2) (1 mM and 100 microM) and XOD (100 and 10 mU/ml). Only 1 mM H(2)O(2) reduced viability. The antioxidant Trolox (10 microM) reduced intracellular ROS, but could not prevent the H(2)O(2) or XOD effects. In a second experiment, YO-PRO-1 and M540 were used as apoptotic and membrane stability markers respectively. Only H(2)O(2) increased the proportion of apoptotic and membrane-destabilized spermatozoa. Catalase added to XOD prevented Deltapsi(m) loss, confirming that H(2)O(2) was the causative agent, not superoxide. In a third experiment, caspase activation was tested using the (FAM-VAD-FMK) probe. Viable spermatozoa with activated caspases could be detected in untreated samples, and only H(2)O(2) increased their proportion after 60 min. There were important differences between ROS generators, H(2)O(2) being the most cytotoxic. Although H(2)O(2) and XOD caused Deltapsi(m) dissipation, this was not reflected in increasing apoptotic markers.

Improving the effect of incubation and oxidative stress on thawed spermatozoa from red deer by using different antioxidant treatments

Antioxidants could improve sperm media, extending the viability of spermatozoa and protecting their DNA. The protective ability of lipoic acid, melatonin, Trolox and crocin was tested on red deer spermatozoa incubated at 37 degrees C. Cryopreserved spermatozoa were thawed and incubated with 1 mM or 0.1 mM of each antioxidant, with or without oxidative stress (100 muM Fe(2+)). Motility (CASA), viability, mitochondrial membrane potential and acrosomal status were assessed. Lipoperoxidation (malondialdehyde production), intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and DNA status (TUNEL) were checked at 4 h. Incubation alone increased ROS and decreased motility. Oxidative stress intensified these effects, increasing lipoperoxidation and DNA damage. Lipoic acid had little protective effect, whereas 1 mM melatonin showed limited protection. Trolox lowered ROS and lipoperoxidation both in oxidised and non-oxidised samples. In oxidised samples, Trolox prevented DNA and acrosomal damage, and ameliorated motility. Crocin at 1 mM showed similar results to Trolox, but noticeably stimulated motility and had no effect on lipoperoxidation. In a second experiment, a broader range of crocin and melatonin concentrations were tested, confirming the effects of crocin (positive effects noticeable at 0.5-0.75 mM), but showing an increase in lipoperoxidation at 2 mM. Melatonin was increasingly effective at 2.5 and 5 mM (ROS, lipoperoxidation and DNA status). Crocin seems a promising new antioxidant, but its particular effects on sperm physiology must be further studied, especially the consequences of motility stimulation and confirming its effect on lipoperoxidation. Melatonin might be useful at relatively high concentrations, compared to Trolox.

Heterologous in vitro fertilization is a good procedure to assess the fertility of thawed ram spermatozoa

A heterologous in vitro fertilization (IVF) test using calf oocytes with zona pellucida was employed to assess the fertility of thawed ram sperm samples. Six males with significant differences in fertility (P=0.003) were used. The males were classified as having high fertility (>or=42%) and low fertility (<or=41%). Male fertility was not influenced by number of inseminated ewes (P=0.584), insemination technician (P=0.156), insemination date (P=0.323) or farm (P=0.207). Thawed sperm samples were employed to assess several sperm parameters for each male: motility, acrosomal integrity, viability, membrane stability, membrane phospholipid disorder, mitochondrial membrane potential and chromatin stability. These samples were used to carry out a heterologous in vitro fertilization. In vitro-matured calf oocytes (n=716) were inseminated with thawed ram semen and in vitro cultured for 40 h. Overall, at thawing, variability among males respect to sperm quality was high. Despite this variability, there were not differences (P<0.05) between fertility groups. Yield of hybrid embryos ranged from 31 to 59% between males. There were not differences between males (P=0.340). However, there were differences between fertility groups (high fertility: 55%; low fertility: 39%; P=0.020). Multiple regression analysis showed that the heterologous in vitro fertility was the only predictive parameter for in vivo male fertility. Correlation between both parameters was fair (r(2)=0.760; P=0.025). These results indicate that heterologous in vitro fertilization tests can be useful to predict the fertility of ram spermatozoa using calf oocytes with intact-zona pellucida.

Washing increases the susceptibility to exogenous oxidative stress in red deer spermatozoa

The effects of routine sperm work are often overlooked. We assessed the effect of washing cryopreserved epididymal spermatozoa from red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus, Helzheimer 1909). After thawing, epididymal samples (four stags) were diluted in TALP-HEPES. A split was left untouched, another was centrifuged (300 x g, 5 min) and resuspended, and a third was centrifuged and the supernatant substituted by fresh TALP-HEPES (washing). Each split was supplemented either with nothing, 1mM of the antioxidant Trolox, 100 microM of the oxidant Fe (with ascorbate), or both. The 3x4 treatments were incubated at 37 degrees C and assessed each hour up to 3h for motility (computer-aided sperm assessment) and viability/apoptosis plus mitochondrial status (YO-PRO-1, propidium iodide, Mitotracker Deep Red; flow cytometry). DNA damage at 4h was assessed using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling assay. Centrifugation alone affected neither sperm quality nor DNA, and the oxidant had no effect in control or centrifuged samples. Washed samples were not different than control, but oxidant decreased motility, mitochondrial status and viability, and altered the motility subpopulation pattern, being partially suppressed by Trolox. Spermatozoa with damaged DNA dramatically increased in the washed-oxidized sample (from 22.30+/-3.52% to 67.94+/-5.07%), but not when antioxidant was present. Although samples from different males behaved similarly, male-to-male variability was detected regarding susceptibility to oxidative damage after washing. We concluded that, although red deer thawed spermatozoa seemed resilient to centrifugation, the vulnerability to oxidative stress after washing makes it advisable to supplement manipulation media with antioxidants, especially taking into account male-to-male variability.

Sperm characteristics and in vitro fertilization ability of thawed spermatozoa from Black Manchega ram: Electroejaculation and postmortem collection

The aim of this study was to assess two models of sperm collection on the quality and fertility of thawed spermatozoa from Black Manchega rams, a threatened breed. Sperm samples were collected by electroejaculation and postmortem from each male. Samples were diluted with Biladyl and frozen. Motility (subjective and objective by means of computer-assisted semen analysis), membrane integrity, and acrosomal status (microscopy) were assessed on fresh and thawed semen; plasmalemma integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, DNA integrity, and acrosomal status were evaluated by flow cytometry on thawed semen. Thawed spermatozoa were used in a heterologous in vitro fertilization test. After thawing, the proportion of live spermatozoa with intact membrane (YO-PRO-1-/PI-) was higher for postmortem samples (P<0.001), although the ratio of YO-PRO-1- spermatozoa within the PI- population was higher for ejaculated samples (P=0.007). Likewise, the proportion of live spermatozoa having high mitochondrial membrane potential (MitoTracker+) and intact acrosomes (PNA-) was higher for postmortem samples (P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). Considering only live spermatozoa, the ratio of MitoTracker+/PNA- cells was higher for electroejaculated samples (P=0.026 and P=0.003). Both electroejaculated and postmortem samples fertilized oocytes. Nevertheless, electroejaculated samples yielded a higher percentage of hybrid embryos (P=0.041). In conclusion, although postmortem spermatozoa had better sperm quality after thawing, electroejaculated spermatozoa showed higher ratios for sperm quality when only the live population was considered. Electroejaculated and postmortem samples might be used for germplasm banking of this threatened breed, but the fertility of postmortem spermatozoa might be lower.

Catalase supplementation on thawed bull spermatozoa abolishes the detrimental effect of oxidative stress on motility and DNA integrity.

The potential protective effect of catalase supplementation during in vitro culture of frozen/thawed bull spermatozoa was investigated. Frozen/thawed semen collected from three fighting bulls was diluted in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and incubated at 37 degrees C under different experimental conditions: Control, Catalase (CAT) (200 U/mL), Oxidant (OXI) (100 microm Fe(2+)/1 mm ascorbate), and Catalase + Oxidant (CAT/OXI). We assessed sperm motility, acrosomal integrity, viability and chromatin status (SCSA) at 0, 2 and 6 h of incubation. Our results showed that catalase abolished the effect of the oxidant, protecting spermatozoa against reactive oxygen species, and improving both sperm motility and chromatin status during incubation. The OXI treatment significantly reduced the percentage of motile sperm after 6 h of incubation. The statistical model also showed that there were differences in sperm motility between CAT/OXI (20.8 +/- 2.9%) and OXI (11.6 +/- 7.6%) (p < 0.001). There were no significant effects of OXI on sperm viability, acrosomal status or proportion of abnormal tails. %DFI (spermatozoa with moderate or high DNA Fragmentation Index) was significantly higher on OXI (p < 0.001). Catalase prevented DNA fragmentation even in the presence of the oxidant (%DFI: 30.3 +/- 0.8% OXI vs. 17.4 +/- 0.7% CAT/OXI). We conclude that catalase supplementation after thawing could protect bull spermatozoa against oxidative stress, and it could improve media used for processing thawed spermatozoa.

Quality, oxidative markers and DNA damage (DNA) fragmentation of red deer thawed spermatozoa after incubation at 37 °C in presence of several antioxidants.

Antioxidants may be useful for supplementing sperm extenders. We have tested dehydroascorbic acid (DHA), TEMPOL, N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) and rutin on epididymal spermatozoa from red deer, during incubation at 37 °C. Cryopreserved spermatozoa were thawed, washed and incubated with 1 mM or 0.1 mM of each antioxidant, including oxidative stress (Fe(2+)/ascorbate). Motility (CASA and clustering of subpopulations), viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, and acrosomal status were assessed at 2 and 4 h. Lipoperoxidation, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and DNA damage (DNA) status (TUNEL) were checked at 4 h. Oxidative stress increased ROS, lipoperoxidation and DNA damage. Overall, antioxidants negatively affected motility and physiological parameters. Only DHA 1 mm protected motility, increasing the fast and progressive subpopulation. However, it had a detrimental effect on acrosomal and DNA status, in absence of oxidative stress. Tempol and rutin efficiently reduced lipoperoxidation, ROS, and DNA damage in presence of oxidative stress. NAC was not as efficient as TEMPOL or rutin reducing lipoperoxidation or protecting DNA, and did not reduce ROS, but its negative effects were lower than the other antioxidants when used at 1 mm, increasing the subpopulation of hyperactivated-like spermatozoa at 2 h. Our results show that these antioxidants have mixed effects when spermatozoa are incubated at physiological temperatures. DHA may not be suitable because of prooxidant effects, but TEMPOL, NAC and rutin may be considered for cryopreservation trials. In general, exposure of red deer spermatozoa to these antioxidants should be limited to low temperatures, when only protective effects may develop.

Refrigerated storage of red deer epididymal spermatozoa in the epididymis, diluted and with vitamin C supplementation.

We have approached the problem of refrigerated storage of epididymal sperm samples from red deer by comparing three options: storing the genital (testicles within the scrotum), diluting the semen in extender or diluting the semen in extender supplemented with an anti-oxidant. Twenty-nine pairs of testes were collected. Spermatozoa from one of each of the pairs were immediately recovered, and diluted to 400 x 10(6) sperm/ml in Tris-citrate-fructose with 20% egg yolk. Control group was stored as such, and Anti-oxidant group was supplemented with 0.8 mm vitamin C. The remaining epididymides and the diluted samples were stored at 5 degrees C and spermatozoa were analysed at 0, 24, 96 and 192 h for: motility [computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA)], acrosomal integrity, sperm viability (eosine/nigrosine staining), normal tails and chromatin status [sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA)]. In general, seminal quality decreased with storage time. Vitamin C supported progressive motility better at 24 h (median 42% vs 23% Control and 15% epididymis), reduced the incidence of tail abnormalities and protected chromatin. Storing the semen in the epididymis slowed down motility loss, but slightly increased the occurrence of tail abnormalities and viability was lower at 192 h. However, regarding chromatin status, sperm stored in the epididymis was protected similarly to those diluted in the medium supplemented with vitamin C. Although the differences between the three groups were small, there were some advantages in supplementing the extender with vitamin C. Besides, refrigerating the epididymis may be a good option when immediate processing is not available.