Semen analysis of Golden Retriever healthy dogs and those affected by muscular dystrophy

Abstract

This study aimed to characterise canine flow cytometry semen analysis, as well as seminal reactive oxygen species dosage using the Golden Retriever breed as model of study. Moreover, we searched for the influence of muscular dystrophy in Golden Retriever dogs on semen parameters. Thirty-seven semen samples were obtained from healthy Golden Retrievers (n = 15) and from muscular dystrophy affected dogs (n = 22). Sperm-rich fractions were analysed by standardised breeding soundness examination in addition to the assay of fluorescence assisted cell sorting for acrosome integrity, mitochondrial activity and DNA fragmentation. Volume of ejaculate, per cent of motile spermatozoa and vigour were similar between groups; there were no differences in the per cent of minor and major defects. Integrity of acrosomal membrane, mitochondrial potential and sperm DNA fragmentation had no significant differences between groups either. Animals from control group had higher concentration of spontaneous seminal oxidative species in comparison with affected animals. Dogs affected by dystrophy had seminal parameters similar to those observed in healthy dogs except for the lower concentration of oxidative species. Future studies aiming to establish reference values for canine seminal parameters should be considered preferably with distinction of breeds.

Profiles of Steroid Hormones in Canine X-Linked Muscular Dystrophy via Stable Isotope Dilution LC-MS/MS

“…Metabolism of steroids typically involves the reduction or removal of side chains or attached groups, or both, and the conjugation to other molecules such as glucose to form a glucuronide or conjugation with sulfate [ 40 ]. This finding seems to indicate an important correlation to the muscular dystrophy that affects this experimental group, especially because AfGR dogs usually cycle regularly and display the same clinical signs and behaviors as healthy dogs [ 41 ].…”

Sperm DNA fragmentation: causes and identification

“…In regions with DNA fragmentation there is possible alteration of genetic information (Evenson et al, 2002b). Many publications have validated the use of this assessment in animals and humans (De Ambrogi et al, 2006;Dias et al, 2006;Garcia-Macias et al, 2006;Hernandez et al, 2006;Kasimanickam et al, 2006;Perez et al, 2014;Hamilton et al, 2016;Castro et al, 2018); and only sperm chromatin integrity assay has an exact standardization (reviewed by Evenson et al, 2016). In our experience, no differences were observed in the percentage of positive sperm for AO between bulls with high and low fertility in IVF (Castro et al, 2018).…”

Development of the cardiorespiratory system in dogs from days 16 to 46 of pregnancy

“…In addition, dogs are used in the development of bone marrow transplant protocols and gene and cell therapy (Schneider, Wolf, Braun, & Kolb, ). Recently, dogs have been used in stem cell studies, especially to understand the different pathological and physiological aspects related to muscular dystrophy and provide an experimental model for the study of human Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Duan, Hakim, Ambrósio, Smith, & Sweeney, ; Kornegay, Tuler, Miller, & Levesque, ; Valentine, Cooper, Delahunta, O'Quinn, & Blue, ), as occured in the GRMD‐Brazil Kennel at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (Araujo et al., ; Brolio, Cima, Miglino, & Ambrósio, ; Gaiad, Araujo, Serrão, Miglino, & Ambrósio, ; Lessa et al., ; Martins‐Júnior et al., ; Peres et al., ).…”