Background
The use of sex-sorted sperm in cattle assisted reproduction is constantly increasing. However, sperm fertility can substantially differ between unsorted (conventional) and sex-sorted semen batches of the same sire. Sperm microRNAs (miRNA) have been suggested as promising biomarkers of bull fertility the last years. In this study, we hypothesized that the miRNA profile of cryopreserved conventional sperm is related to bull fertility after artificial insemination with X-bearing sperm. For this purpose, we analyzed the miRNA profile of 18 conventional sperm samples obtained from nine high- (HF) and nine low-fertility (LF) bulls that were contemporaneously used to produce conventional and sex-sorted semen batches. The annual 56-day non-return rate for each semen type (NRRconv and NRRss, respectively) was recorded for each bull.
Results
In total, 85 miRNAs were detected. MiR-34b-3p and miR-100-5p were the two most highly expressed miRNAs with their relative abundance reaching 30% in total. MiR-10a-5p and miR-9-5p were differentially expressed in LF and HF samples (false discovery rate < 10%). The expression levels of miR-9-5p, miR-34c, miR-423-5p, miR-449a, miR-5193-5p, miR-1246, miR-2483-5p, miR-92a, miR-21–5p were significantly correlated to NRRss but not to NRRconv. Based on robust regression analysis, miR-34c, miR-7859 and miR-342 showed the highest contribution to the prediction of NRRss.
Conclusions
A set of miRNAs detected in conventionally produced semen batches were linked to the fertilizing potential of bovine sperm after sex-sorting. These miRNAs should be further evaluated as potential biomarkers of a sire’s suitability for the production of sex-sorted sperm.
Background: This study investigates the effects of cryopreservation and supplementation of Azeri water buffalo's semen with proline (Lp) and fulvic acid (FA).Objectives: Therefore, this study aimed to assess motility parameters, sperm viability, oxidative stress parameters, and DNA damage to detect the optimum concentrations of Lp and FA for buffalo semen cryopreservation.Methods: Thirty semen samples of three buffalo bulls were diluted in Tris-egg yolk extender and divided into 12 equal groups including control (
It is known that livestock animal semen is very sensitive to cold shock during freezing processes, and this sensitivity directly affects post-thaw progressive motility, mitochondrial membrane potential, sperm nuclear DNA integrity and in vitro spermatological parameters such as plasma membrane and acrosome integrity, and sperm fertility. In addition, with the sudden decrease in the total antioxidant level of the semen after thawing, the sperm cells are insufficient to tolerate their damage. As a result, significant losses occur in sperm fertility. For this reason, researches on freezing the semen of farm animals include semen processing; freezing (cryopreservation/cryogenic damage) - thawing methods - sperm extenders, added antioxidants, the mechanisms of action and metabolic pathways of these antioxidants and physiological and metabolic parameters such as sperm fertility. It has been explained that low dose glycerol (trehalose added to increase the cryoprotectant effect) added to the extender in the freezing of livestock animal semen, Knockout Serum Replacement (KSR) and Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase (ROCK), which are antioxidant additives, can increase the in vitro quality parameters of frozen thawed semen.
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