Open AccessEffect of selenium and vitamin E on acrosome reaction in porcine spermatozoa
Author(s) -
Tareq K. M. A.,
Akter Quzi Sharmin,
Takagi Yuji,
Hamano Kohichi,
Sawada Tomio,
Tsujii Hirotada
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
reproductive medicine and biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.005
H-Index - 22
eISSN - 1447-0578
pISSN - 1445-5781
DOI - 10.1007/s12522-009-0041-x
Subject(s) - motility , sperm motility , chemistry , sperm , selenium , andrology , acrosome , vitamin e , acrosome reaction , incubation , antioxidant , biochemistry , biology , in vitro , medicine , genetics , organic chemistry
Abstract Purpose Selenium (Se) and vitamin E (Vit‐E), as an integral part of antioxidant systems, play an important role in the motility and acrosome reaction (AR) of mammalian spermatozoa. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Se and Vit‐E on motility, viability, AR and accumulation of ammonia in the culture medium during different incubation periods in porcine sperm. Methods Sperm samples were washed, swum‐up and incubated at 37°C for 1 and 3 h in Sp‐TALP medium supplemented with sodium selenite (SS), seleon l ‐methionine (SeMet) and Vit‐E in the presence or absence of ammonia. Sperm motility was determined on the basis of movement quality examined by phase microscopy. Viability and AR of spermatozoa were assessed by Hoechst 33258 and chlortetracycline (CTC) staining technique, and accumulation of ammonia was measured by the indophenol method. The incorporation of 14 C(U)‐glucose was assessed with a liquid scintillation counter. Results In experiment 1, the sperm motility, viability, AR and incorporation of 14 C(U)‐glucose increased significantly ( P < 0.05) in SS, SeMet and Vit‐E (5, 5 μg/l and 1.0 mM, respectively) compared with the control. In experiment 2, treatment of the sperm with SeMet and SeMet + Vit‐E in the presence of 300 μM ammonia also resulted in a significant increase ( P < 0.05) in the rate of motility, viability, AR and incorporation of 14 C(U)‐glucose. In contrast, the accumulation of ammonia was reduced by SeMet and SeMet + Vit‐E compared with the other treatments. Conclusions These findings indicate that SeMet and SeMet + Vit‐E may play an important role in reducing the accumulation of ammonia and subsequently in increasing the rate of AR and the utilization of glucose in porcine spermatozoa.