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Biochemical and enzymatic studies on semen of Arabian stallions that are classified good or poor for freezing
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Abstract: The present study aimed to investigate the enzymatic and antioxidant activities as well as lipid profile in the seminal plasma of good and poor freezer Arabian stallions, to determine if any of the studied seminal plasma constituents were associated with semen freezability. Semen samples were collected from 10 Arabian stallions (5 stallions were previously classified as good freezers and the other 5 stallions were poor freezer). After collection, fresh semen characteristics (including volume, sperm concentration, motility, morphology, membrane and acrosomal integrities) were recorded. Semen samples were processed for freezing and post-thaw semen evaluation was performed. Seminal plasma was obtained by semen centrifugation and filtration of the supernatant. Nitric oxide, antioxidant, enzymes and testosterone levels as well as lipid profile were determined in seminal plasma samples.
Results showed that, the HOS (hypo-osmotic swelling test)-positive spermatozoa in fresh semen, antioxidant activities, testosterone, cholesterol and phospholipid levels were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher in seminal plasma of good freezer stallions than in that of poor freezers. On the other hand, nitric oxide, aspartate-amino-transferase (AST), alanine-amino-transferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase levels and cholesterol/phospholipid ratio were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) lower in seminal plasma of good freezer stallions than in that of poor freezers. There were significant (P ≤ 0.05) positive correlations between equine semen freezability and sperm membrane integrity (according to results of HOS test), antioxidant activities, cholesterol and phospholipid levels (‘r’ ranged from 0.595 to 0.895). Contrarily, there were significant (P ≤ 0.05) negative correlations between equine semen freezability and nitric oxide level and cholesterol/phospholipid ratio. Conclusively, the HOS test applied on fresh semen, the levels of nitric oxide, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in the seminal plasma as well as the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio were correlated well with freezability of equine semen. So, they could be used as biomarkers for frrezability of Arabian horse’s semen.
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| Publication year |
2013
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| Author(s) from ARC |
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| Agris Categories |
Animal physiology and biochemistry
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| Publication Type |
Researsh & Applied Activities
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