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Arginine promotes testicular development in boars through nitric oxide and putrescine
Author(s) -
Wei Dongqin,
Wu De,
Zeng Wenxian,
Che Lianqiang,
Xu Shengyu,
Fang Zhengfeng,
Feng Bin,
Li Jian,
Zhuo Yong,
Wu Caimei,
Zhang Junjie,
Lin Yan
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.651
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1439-0396
pISSN - 0931-2439
DOI - 10.1111/jpn.13602
Subject(s) - arginine , nitric oxide , biology , semen quality , endocrinology , arginase , medicine , semen , nitric oxide synthase , sperm , putrescine , andrology , amino acid , zoology , biochemistry , enzyme , anatomy , botany
Abstract The present work aimed to explore the influence and underlying mechanisms involving arginine in testicular development in boars. To this end, thirty 30‐day‐old male Duroc piglets (7.00 ± 0.30 kg) were randomly sorted into two groups, maintained on either a basal diet (CON, n = 15) or a diet supplemented with 0.8% arginine (ARG, n = 15). Blood and testicular samples were collected during the experimental period to analyse amino acid composition and arginine metabolite levels. The results showed that dietary supplementation with arginine increased number of spermatogonia and height of the seminiferous epithelium ( p < 0.05). Sperm density, total number and effective number of sperm of the boars in the ARG group increased significantly compared with those in the CON group ( p < 0.05). Although arginine supplementation did not affect plasma amino acid levels, testicular arginine levels in 150‐day‐old boars exhibited a significant increase ( p < 0.05). The level of serum nitric oxide (NO) and activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) also increased in 150‐day‐old boars in the ARG group ( p < 0.05). Interestingly, dietary supplementation with arginine increased testicular levels of putrescine in 150‐day‐old boars ( p < 0.05). These results indicated that arginine supplementation increased serum NO levels and testicular arginine and putrescine abundance, thereby improving testicular development and semen quality in boars.