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Buffalo spermatozoa are more sensitive for cryopreservation compared to other species. This study aimed to evaluate the consequences of quercetin against cryodamage of buffalo frozen–thawed spermatozoa characteristics. Semen of Egyptian bulls (n = 4) was extended in OptiXcell extender incorporated with quercetin at 0 (control), 2.5, 5.0, 10.0, 20.0, 40.0, and 80.0 μM before cryopreservation. Frozen–thawed semen was evaluated for sperm motility by computer-assisted sperm analyzer (CASA), viability, morphology, membrane, and acrosome integrities. The kinematics parameters including average path velocity (VAP; μm/s), straight linear velocity (VSL; μm/s), curvilinear velocity (VCL; μm/s), amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH; μm), beat cross frequency (BCF; Hz), linearity [LIN, (VSL/VCL) × 100], and straightness [STR, (VSL/VAP) × 100] were assessed. The sperm-free extender was evaluated for aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and H2O2. Homogenized sperm cells were evaluated for oxidative stress biomarkers [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX)], and lipid peroxidation [malondialdehyde (MDA)]. The highest values of total motility, progressive motility, viability, intact acrosome, and membrane integrity substantially improved with 10 μM of quercetin. STR (%) was substantially low (P < 0.01), and VCL (μm/s) and ALH (μm) were markedly high (P < 0.05) in 10 μM of quercetin. The outflow of ALT enzyme to extracellular fluid was lower with 10 μM of quercetin (P < 0.001) and higher at 2.5 μM of quercetin. The spermatozoa leaked AST was markedly lower at 5.0, 10 (P < 0.001) and 20 μM (P < 0.05) of quercetin. The activity of antioxidant enzymes was eminently low at all quercetin concentrations, and this was accompanied by the decrease in H2O2 in the media. SOD activity at 10–80 μM, CAT at 5.0–40 μM, and GPX at 2.5–80.0 μM of quercetin in spermatozoa were substantially low. MDA level significantly (P < 0.001) decreased at all quercetin concentrations. In conclusion, the incorporation of quercetin at the level of 10 μM is promising in improving buffalo semen characteristics and lower the freezing–thawing oxidative stress.

Various methods are being employed to detect early pregnancy in domestic animals. This study aimed to predict early pregnancy in buffaloes via measuring the corpus luteum (CL) diameter, the luteal blood flow (LBF) area, the uterine blood flow (UBF) vascularization area, and progesterones in saliva and serum for non-pregnant (NPBs, N = 12) and pregnant (PBs, N = 12) buffaloes. The results revealed that the CL diameter and the luteal color blood flow blue and red (P = 0.0001) areas of the pregnant animals kept increasing from day 1 to day 35 of the gestation period, but it decreased in NPBs on day 21 after reaching a peak from ovulation to day 18. Interestingly, the UBF of the pregnant buffaloes (PBs) kept increasing (P = 0.0001) from ovulation to day 42. The difference of the CL diameter (P = 0.03) and the LBF color blue vascularization area (P = 0.002) between PBs and NPBs became clear from day 14 after ovulation, though the difference of UBF between PBs and NPBs became markedly obvious from day 7 after breeding. Both saliva (P = 0.001) and serum (P = 0.0001) progesterones of PBs continued increasing (P = 0.0001) from day 14 to day 35, but those of NPBs started decreasing (P = 0.0001) from day 14 and reached low values on day 21. Therefore, measuring saliva progesterone in addition to the high LBF (day 14) and UBF (day 7) of the pregnant buffaloes using a Doppler ultrasound could be applicable as noninvasive methods to detect early pregnancy and to improve reproductive management of buffaloes.

Bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15/FecX) gene is considered one of the major genes and a candidate marker for the reproduction in farm animals, especially sheep. The present study aimed to detect the genetic polymorphisms of BMP15 gene in sheep using PCR-RFLP technique. In the present study, 115 ewes were assigned into high and low prolificacy categories according to their reproductive history. In high prolific group (n = 20), ewes produced twins more than single births. In the low prolific type (n = 95), the ewes produced single births more than twins. DNA was extracted from blood samples of all ewes, subjected to PCR-RFLP analysis and confirmed by sequence analysis. The PCR products of 356 bp size were cut with HinƒI restriction enzyme. Three digested fragments of 70, 117 and 169 bp were obtained in both types of sheep. All animals were homozygous with CC genotype. In conclusion, the accessible findings did not detect any mutation in FecX gene in sheep, regardless their prolificacy. Therefore, further attempts are necessary to detect other SNP for BMP-15 gene in Egyptian sheep breeds.

Background: Many drugs are implicated in male infertility and screening for medication history is an important for diagnosis and treatment of the problem. The aim is to study amikacin effect on male reproductive system in comparison to gentamicin.Methods: Twenty-five male wister rats weighted 220±20 gm and aged 8 weeks were randomly divided into five groups of five. The first group received gentamicin in dose 18.25 mg/kg/day once daily (OD) (therapeutic dose). The second group received gentamicin with double dose of the first group. The third group received amikacin in dose 54.75 mg/kg/day OD (therapeutic dose). The Fourth group received amikacin with double dose of the third group. However, the fifth group served as a control and received normal saline (NS) OD. All treatments were administered intraperitoneally (IP) for 14 days. On the 15th day, blood samples and reproductive organs were obtained from all animals. Testicular tissues were prepared for genetic testing and chemical and microscopical examination.Results: Amikacin and gentamicin negatively affected reproductive organs weights, sperm parameters, serum follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone (LH) level relative to control (p<0.05). However, serum testosterone level was only affected with gentamicin (p<0.05). A significant difference between gentamicin and amikacin was found in sperm count, testis and epididymis weights and serum testosterone and LH level (p<0.05). Testicular histopathological changes were also found with the two drugs with different degrees. Effects of both gentamicin and amikacin were dose-dependent.Conclusions: Both gentamicin and amikacin adversely affect andrological function that should be monitored and controlled during application of these drugs.

Abstract. The current study was performed to follow up the circulating hormonal changes and to correlate the findings with the physiological activity of the corpus luteum (CL) and placenta during pregnancy in goats. Blood samples were collected weekly from five goats during pregnancy for measuring steroid and protein hormones. A gradual increase was observed in immunoreactive (ir-) inhibin, with maximal levels at the 17th week. The plasma concentrations of estradiol and prolactin (PRL) showed nearly similar patterns during pregnancy, where they declined to basal levels during the first 4 weeks post-breeding and then increased significantly, with the maximal concentration during late pregnancy. The plasma FSH and LH concentrations were maintained at basal levels throughout the gestation period. The plasma progesterone concentration abruptly increased in the first week post-breeding and remained at high values throughout the pregnancy period. Immunohistochemical localization of inhibin alpha, betaA, betaB and steroidogenic enzymes cytochrome P450 aromatase, 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3betaHSD), cytochrome 17alpha-hydroxylase P450 and cholesterol side-chain cleavage cytochrome P450 in the cyclic and pregnant goat CL revealed positive immunoreactivity without affinity differences between the luteal and pregnancy stages. The placental syncytiotrophoblasts also showed positive staining, except for inhibin betaA and 3betaHSD. The giant binucleate cells of the placenta showed positive immunoreactions to PRL. These results suggest that the high concentrations of irinhibin, estradiol and PRL during late pregnancy are of placental origin and that the placenta may have a vital role in the maintenance of pregnancy, regulation of mammary growth and preparation for kidding and lactation in goats. Key words: Goat, Hormone, Inhibin, Placenta, Pregnancy (J. Reprod. Dev. 56: [243][244][245][246][247][248][249][250] 2010) tudying hormonal changes during the gestation period knocks down doors that block understanding of the regulatory mechanisms accompanying fetal development and maintenance of pregnancy; the most important stage of animal reproductive life. In goats, pregnancy is dependant on the corpus luteum (CL) with minimal contribution from placenta. However, day by day, scientists are working hard to discover the additional roles played by the placenta. The pattern of progesterone levels during pregnancy is changeable; it is low from mating until the 6th day [1], increases noticeably by the 3rd week and remains high until the 19th week [2][3][4][5][6][7]. Maintenance of progesterone secretion by the CL during pregnancy in the goat is luteinizing hormone (LH)-dependant; moreover, prolactin (PRL) is synergistic with LH in stimulating this function [8]. The highest concentration of estradiol in the blood is found 2 days before ovulation [1,9]; the concentration decreases during the first 30 days after mating and then increases again between weeks 7 and 11, with the maximal output near parturition [7,10].Up till now,...

The present study aimed at verifying the usefulness of dietary 2.5% bee-pollen (BP) or propolis (PROP) to overcome the genotoxic and endocrine disruptive effects of malathion polluted water in Oreochromis niloticus (O. niloticus). The acute toxicity test was conducted in O. niloticus in various concentrations (0–8 ppm); mortality rate was assessed daily for 96 h. The 96 h-LC50 was 5 ppm and therefore 1/5 of the median lethal concentration (1 ppm) was used for chronic toxicity assessment. In experiment (1), fish (n = 8/group) were kept on a diet (BP/PROP or without additive (control)) and exposed daily to malathion in water at concentration of 5 ppm for 96 h “acute toxicity experiment”. Protective efficiency against the malathion was verified through chromosomal aberrations (CA), micronucleus (MN) and DNA-fragmentation assessment. Survival rate in control, BP and PROP groups was 37.5%, 50.0% and 100.0%, respectively. Fish in BP and PROP groups showed a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in the frequency of CA (57.14% and 40.66%), MN (53.13% and 40.63%) and DNA-fragmentation (53.08% and 30.00%). In experiment (2), fish (10 males and 5 females/group) were kept on a diet with/without BP for 21 days before malathion-exposure in water at concentration of 0 ppm (control) or 1 ppm (Exposed) for further 10 days “chronic toxicity experiment”. BP significantly (P < 0.05) reduced CA (86.33%), MN (82.22%) and DNA-fragmentation (93.11%), prolonged the sperm motility when exposed to 0.01 ppm of pollutant in vitro and increased the estradiol level in females comparing to control. In conclusion, BP can be used as a feed additive for fish prone to be raised in integrated fish farms or cage culture due to its potency to chemo-protect against genotoxicity and sperm-teratogenicity persuaded by malathion-exposure.