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Changes in fertilization medium viscosity using hyaluronic acid impact bull sperm motility and acrosome status
Author(s) -
Fonseca Junior Aldcejam Martins,
Gaita Vincenzo,
Argumedo Daniel Ricardo,
Castro Leticia Signori,
Losano João Diego de Agostini,
Ferreira Leite Roberta,
Nichi Marcilio,
Assumpção Mayra Elena Ortiz d’Ávila,
Araújo Daniele Ribeiro,
Neves Antonio Alvaro Ranha,
Milazzotto Marcella Pecora
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
reproduction in domestic animals
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.546
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1439-0531
pISSN - 0936-6768
DOI - 10.1111/rda.13739
Subject(s) - human fertilization , sperm , capacitation , motility , sperm motility , andrology , semen , acrosome , fertilisation , hyaluronic acid , chemistry , biology , anatomy , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , embryogenesis , reproductive technology , medicine , gene
The female reproductive tract, in particular the composition of the uterine and oviduct fluids, is responsible, at least in part, for triggering sperm cell modifications, essential for the acquisition of fertilization ability. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan present in these fluids, and its role in the fertilization process and sperm functionality is still barely understood. This work was designed to (a) determine the rheological characteristics of the fertilization medium by the addition of HA and (b) determine the HA influence on sperm motility and functional status. To that end, the in vitro fertilization medium was supplemented with 4 doses of HA (6, 60, 600 and 6,000 µg/ml) and analysed for viscosity and adhesion strength characteristics. Then, thawed semen from 6 bulls were incubated in these media and assessed at 4 different moments for morphological and functional parameters (plasma and acrosomal membrane integrities, mitochondrial membrane potential, capacitation, acrosomal reaction, and motility). The rheological evaluation showed that the addition of HA was able to increase both the viscosity and the adhesion strength of the fertilization medium, especially in the 6,000 µg/ml group in which the effect was more pronounced. No influence of HA could be observed on mitochondrial potential, and acrosomal and plasma membrane integrities. However, HA supplementation, at lower doses, led to an increase in the number of reacted sperm, as well as changes in motility parameters, with increase in the number of motile, rapid and progressive spermatozoa. In conclusion, the addition of HA alters the rheological properties of the fertilization medium and leads to the improvement of the properties related to sperm motility and capacitation, without compromising other functional aspects of the cell.