Free gossypol supplementation frequency and reproductive toxicity in young bulls

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to analyze seminal quality of young bulls subjected to different frequencies of gossypol supplementation. Forty-eight Nellore bulls, with 19 months of age and weighing 357.8 ± 7.2 kg, were used in this study. Animals were fed with 10.5 kg of standard supplement containing free-gossypol from whole cottonseed (WCS) at the following frequency: 3x/week (G3x), 5x/week (G5x) or 7x/week (G7x - Control). Additionally, a negative control was provided, and the treated animals received only mineral supplement (MM) ad libtum. The experiment lasted for 84 days and semen was collected at the beginning and at the end for analysis and cryopreservation. Fresh semen was used for initial analysis and plasma membrane integrity and sperm morphology were also determined. General motility using computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA), plasma and acrosomal membranes integrity, mitochondrial activity, and induced oxidative stress were assessed in post-thawed semen. The study design was completely randomized. Parametric data were analyzed by ANOVA and non-parametric data by the Wilcoxon test, using the statistical program SAS. Level of significance was set at 5%. Supplementation with WCS, regardless the frequency, increased total (P = .009) and head (P = .005) defects in comparison to animals receiving only forage and mineral supplement. Infrequent supplementation, particularly 5 times in the week (G5X), increased head (P = .026) and midpiece (P = .014) abnormalities. Sperm motility in fresh semen was lower in animals that received daily supplementation than those supplemented on alternate days (P = .021). Additionally, animals supplemented daily showed lower percentage of spermatozoa with intact acrosome compared to those supplemented on alternate days (P = .005). Thus, regardless the frequency of supplementation, free-gossypol supplementation affects sperm quality. Although the amount of free gossypol supplied weekly was the same among treatments, daily supplementation compromised sperm kinetics, differently from infrequent supplementation that led to sperm defects developed during spermatogenesis.

Intramolecular Annulation of Gossypol by Laccase to Produce Safe Cottonseed Protein

“…Moreover, gossypol is well-known for its toxic effects to male reproductive organs. It can interfere with reproduction, damage sperm, disrupt the estrous cycle, and produce embryonic lethality (Câmara et al, 2015;Duarte Júnior et al, 2018;Luz et al, 2018). Our results found that mice exposed to gossypol at 100 mg/kg BW endured partially disrupted basal membranes, exfoliation of spermatogonia, and the appearance of intraepithelial vacuoles in the testis, but this damage was relieved in mice who were administered oxidative annulation products ( Figure 4H).…”

The reversible effects of gossypol toxicity on male pigeons' reproductive performance

“…The contraceptive properties of gossypol in both males and females [ 27 ] were previously studied in several species, including rats [ 11 ], rabbits [ 28 ], mice [ 29 ], hamsters [ 30 ], pigs [ 31 ], bulls [ 32 ], men [ 33 ], and domestic cock [ 15 ]. The onset of infertility after the treatment was dose-and time-dependent and specific to the treated animal species [ 34 ].…”