Ovine fertility by artificial insemination in the breeding season could be affected by intraseasonal variations in ram sperm proteomic profile.

Autor: Neila-Montero M; Itra-ULE, INDEGSAL, University of León, León, Spain; Animal Reproduction and Obstetrics, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Surgery and Anatomy, University of León, León, Spain., Alvarez M; Itra-ULE, INDEGSAL, University of León, León, Spain; Animal Reproduction and Obstetrics, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Surgery and Anatomy, University of León, León, Spain., Riesco MF; Itra-ULE, INDEGSAL, University of León, León, Spain; Cellular Biology, Department of Molecular Biology, University of León, León, Spain. Electronic address: mferrs@unileon.es., Montes-Garrido R; Itra-ULE, INDEGSAL, University of León, León, Spain; Animal Reproduction and Obstetrics, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Surgery and Anatomy, University of León, León, Spain., Palacin-Martinez C; Itra-ULE, INDEGSAL, University of León, León, Spain; Animal Reproduction and Obstetrics, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Surgery and Anatomy, University of León, León, Spain., Silva-Rodríguez A; Facility of Innovation and Analysis in Animal Source Foodstuffs, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain., Martín-Cano FE; Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain., Peña FJ; Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain., de Paz P; Itra-ULE, INDEGSAL, University of León, León, Spain; Cellular Biology, Department of Molecular Biology, University of León, León, Spain., Anel L; Itra-ULE, INDEGSAL, University of León, León, Spain; Animal Reproduction and Obstetrics, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Surgery and Anatomy, University of León, León, Spain., Anel-Lopez L; Itra-ULE, INDEGSAL, University of León, León, Spain; Anatomy, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Surgery and Anatomy, University of León, León, Spain.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Theriogenology [Theriogenology] 2023 Sep 15; Vol. 208, pp. 28-42. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Jun 01.
DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.05.030
Abstrakt: It is important to note that seasonality could affect ram reproductive parameters, and therefore, fertility results after artificial insemination. In this work, 1) we assessed fertility rates after cervical artificial insemination of 11,805 ewes at the beginning (June 21 st to July 20 th ) and at the end (November 20 th to December 21 st ) of the reproductive season in the Assaf breed for the last four years, and 2) we aimed to identify male factors influencing the different reproductive success obtained depending on the time at the mating season in which ovine artificial insemination was performed. For this purpose, we evaluated certain ram reproductive and ultrasonographical parameters as well as we performed a multiparametric and proteomic sperm analysis of 6-19 rams at two very distant points in the mating season (July as Early Breeding Season -EBS- and November as Late Breeding Season -LBS-). Rutinary assessments carried out in the ovine reproduction centers (testicular volume, libido, sperm production and mass motility) showed non-significant differences (P ≥ 0.05) between both studied times, as well as the ram ultrasonographic evaluation (Resistive and Pulsatility Index as Doppler parameters; and pixels mean gray level, and hypoechoic areas percentage and density as echotexture parameters). However, at level of sperm functionality, although sperm quality appeared non-significantly lower (P ≥ 0.05) in the EBS, we identified a significantly different (P < 0.05) sperm proteomic profile between the seasonality points. The following proteins were identified with the lowest abundance in the EBS with a fold change > 4, a P = 2.40e-07, and a q = 2.23e-06: Fibrous Sheath-Interacting Protein 2, Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase Domain-Containing Protein 20-like, Phosphoinositide-Specific Phospholipase C, Tektin 5, Armadillo Repeat-Containing Protein 12 Isoform X3, Solute Carrier Family 9B1, Radial Spoke Head Protein 3 Homolog, Pro-Interleukin-16, NADH Dehydrogenase [Ubiquinone] 1 Alpha Subcomplex Subunit 8, Testis, Prostate and Placenta-Expressed Protein, and Acyl Carrier Protein Mitochondrial. In conclusion, while our basic analyses on male and sperm quality showed similar results between the beginning and the end of the breeding season, on a proteomic level we detected a lower expression of sperm proteins linked to the energy metabolism, sperm-oocyte interactions, and flagellum structure in the EBS. Probably, this different protein expression could be related to the lower fertility rate of Assaf ewes after cervical artificial insemination at this time. More importantly, sperm proteins can be used as highly effective molecular markers in predicting sperm fertilization ability related to intraseasonal variations.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
(Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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