Premium
Cu/Zn‐superoxide dismutase from the fungal strain Humicola lutea 103 improves ram spermatozoa functions in vitro
Author(s) -
Stefanov R.,
Angelova M.,
Stefanova T.,
Subev M.,
Dolashka P.,
Voelter W.,
Zachariev Z.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
andrologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1439-0272
pISSN - 0303-4569
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0272.2004.tb02977.x
Subject(s) - superoxide dismutase , semen , reactive oxygen species , sperm , sperm motility , incubation , andrology , antioxidant , superoxide , chemistry , biology , enzyme , biochemistry , medicine
Summary. In this study we determined the effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation during incubation in media at 39 °C on ram spermatozoa and the protection by exogenously added antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD). A novel Cu/Zn‐SOD, isolated from the fungal strain Humi‐cola lutea 103 (HLSOD), was used. Our results point out that the levels of both, superoxide anion radicals ( ˙ O 2 ‐ ) and H 2 O 2 , increase approximately 8–10‐ and 2–3‐fold, respectively, during incubation of spermatozoa. Enhanced ROS generation coincided with reduction of motility, independently of the type of diluted medium. Addition of HLSOD (30, 60 and 120 U ml −1 sperm) improved sperm functions, maintaining almost initial percentages of motile spermatozoa and increasing the values of mean cytochemical coefficient. At the same time, a significant diminution of ˙ O 2 ‐ and H 2 O 2 content in the presence of antioxidant enzyme was established. The results suggest that HLSOD is an effective ˙ O 2 ‐ scavenger in semen that leads to protection of sperm functions.