Glutathione and selenium nanoparticles have a synergistic protective effect during cryopreservation of bull semen

Abstract

IntroductionIn the present study, the synergistic protective effect of co-supplementation of glutathione (GSH) with selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) on the cryopreservation efficiency of bull semen was analyzed.MethodsAfter collection, the ejaculates of Holstein bulls were subsequently diluted with a Tris extender buffer supplemented with different concentrations of SeNPs (0, 1, 2, and 4 μg/ml), followed by semen equilibration at 4°C and assessment of sperm viability and motility. Subsequently, the ejaculates of Holstein bulls were pooled, split into four equal groups, and diluted with a Tris extender buffer supplemented with basic extender (negative control group, NC group), 2 μg/ml SeNPs (SeNPs group), 4 mM GSH (GSH group), and 4 mM GSH plus 2 μg/ml SeNPs (GSH + SeNPs group). After cryopreservation, motility, viability, mitochondrial activity, plasma membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT), and ability of frozen-thawed sperm cells to support in vitro embryonic development were evaluated.Results and discussionNo side effect of SeNPs concentrations applied in the current study on the motility and viability of equilibrated bull spermatozoa was found. Meanwhile, supplementation of SeNPs significantly promoted the motility and viability of equilibrated bull spermatozoa. Furthermore, the co-supplementation of GSH with SeNPs effectively protected bull spermatozoa from cryoinjury as expressed by promoting semen motility, viability, mitochondrial activity, plasma membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity. Finally, the enhanced antioxidant capacity and embryonic development potential in the frozen-thawed bull spermatozoa cryopreserved by co-supplementation of GSH with SeNPs further confirmed the synergistic protective effect of co-supplementation of GSH with SeNPs on the cryopreservation of bull semen.

Nephroprotective Effects of Selenium Nanoparticles Against Sodium Arsenite-Induced Damages

“… 80 Beginning with the discovery of GPx as the first mammalian selenoprotein in 1973, considerable achievements have been made in the past decades for elucidating the physiological roles of selenoenzymes or selenoproteins in the regulation of mammalian antioxidant defense systems by reducing tyrosyl radicals in proteins, degrading lipid hydroperoxides, scavenging free radicals, and preventing oxidative DNA damages and cell apoptosis. 80 , 81 These former literatures have also confirmed that these characterized selenoenzymes or selenoproteins induced by SeNPs effectively diminish the outcomes of disrupted inflammatory response cascades such as the increased expression of chemoattractant cytokines, adhesive molecules, fibrogenesis, collagens, and metalloproteinase by inhibiting the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) or phosphorylation of NF-κB via redox related signaling pathways or macrophage signaling transduction pathways. 82 , 83 It is also of interest that the dramatic reductions in the inflammatory response cascades decompose the proliferation of fibroblasts and then benefit the anti-fibrosis, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties of SeNPs.…”

Physiological Benefits of Novel Selenium Delivery via Nanoparticles

“…Another key step in IVF for both humans and animals is semen cryopreservation—a process that necessarily involves repeated freezing and thawing cycles, which manifests the production of damaging ROS and causes oxidative stress which together reduces sperm viability by more than 35% [ 84 ]. Under these conditions, studies have shown that SeNP supplementation markedly improves gamete quality during IVF procedures [ 83 , 85 ]. For example, bovine semen supplemented with 0.5 and, 1.0 μg/mL of SeNPs prior to cryopreservation recorded enhanced post-thawing sperm motility and membrane integrity with reduced DNA damage and importantly, a higher fertility rate than that of the control [ 70 ].…”

Effects of sodium selenite, cysteamine, bacterially synthesized Se-NPs, and cysteamine loaded on Se-NPs on ram sperm cryopreservation

“…When combined with glutathione (GSH), SeNPs have also been shown to protect bull spermatozoa from cryoinjury, resulting in improved semen motility, mitochondrial activity, plasma membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity. The co-supplementation of GSH and SeNPs has also been found to enhance the antioxidant capacity and embryonic development potential of frozen-thawed bull spermatozoa 22 . Additionally, enriching semen extender with Se-NPs has been found to improve the post-thaw sperm quality of Holstein bulls and consequently increase the in vivo fertility rate by reducing apoptosis, lipid peroxidation, and sperm damage caused by cryopreservation 23 .…”