Effect of Different Extenders and Seminal Plasma on the Susceptibility of Equine Spermatozoa to Lipid Peroxidation After Single-Layer Centrifugation, Through Androcoll-E

This study was conducted in an attempt to see whether single-layer centrifugation (SLC) increases the susceptibility of stallion spermatozoa to lipid peroxidation (LPO), in different extenders after removing all seminal plasma (SP). The susceptibility of stallion spermatozoa to LPO was studied before and after SLC. Each ejaculate was split, and aliquots extended with one of the three different extenders: INRA 96, Kenney's, or Equipro, and stored for 24 hours at 5°C (i). From the extended samples, an aliquot was kept as a control and the other was subjected to SLC through Androcoll-E. The selected spermatozoa were re-suspended in the appropriate extenders, without (ii) or with (iii) addition of 50% (v/v) pooled homologous SP for 24 hours at 5°C. Using ferrous sulfate as pro-oxidant, the susceptibility for LPO was flow-cytometrically assessed using the probe Bodipy^581/591-C₁₁. Sperm motility, monitored with a Qualisperm motility analyzer, increased after SLC treatment (P < .001). No significant correlations were found between motility and induced LPO with ferrous sulfate. The SP and extenders, per se, did not have a significant protective effect against LPO, but the interaction between SP and Kenney increased the susceptibility to LPO. However, the selected spermatozoa through Androcoll-E and the subsequent dilution in INRA had a significant protective effect against LPO (P < .05), especially when the oxidative insults were higher (80 μM).     

Comparison of Various Extenders for Storage of Cooled Stallion Spermatozoa for 72 Hours

Multiple extenders have been developed to preserve cooled stallion semen. Comparisons of some extenders have been made but there is need for further research in this area. Extenders tested included EZ Mixin (Animal Reproduction Systems, Chino, CA), Kenney's, Universal (NASCO, Fort Atkinson, WI), EquiPro, EquiPro CellGuard (Minitube of America, Verona, WI), and INRA 96 (IMV, Maple Grove, MN). Semen was collected and each ejaculate was divided and extended in each of the aforementioned extenders and stored at 4°C. Motility measures were determined using computer-assisted sperm analysis at 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours after collection. Samples were evaluated for total motility, progressive motility (PM), straight-line velocity, curvilinear velocity, straight-line distance, and curvilinear distance. Total motility and PM decreased over time in storage (P < .05). Sperm stored in INRA 96, EquiPro, and EquiPro Cell Guard retained the most total motility and PM over the 72 hour period (P < .05). Universal, EquiPro, and EquiPro Cell Guard had the highest measurements for curvilinear velocity, straight-line velocity, and curvilinear distance (P < .05). There were no significant differences among the extenders for straight-line distance.     

不同稀释液对猪精液4℃保存效果的影响研究

[目的]利用改进的BF-5稀释液（命名为naBF5）,开发一种4℃液态保存猪精子的方法。[方法]把猪精子在LEN、BF5和mBF5这3种稀释液中4℃条件下保存5d,按照保存天数分别检测精子的活力、顶体形态、活率和ATP浓度并进行比较。[结果]在4℃条件下保存的1～2d,精子的活率在3种稀释液中没有显著的差异;但是第3天开始,3种稀释液中的精子活率有显著差异,在mBF5中保存的精子活率显著地高于在LEN和BF5中保存的精子。第1～5天,在mBF5和B巧稀释液中保存的精子正常顶体的百分率高于LEN稀释液中保存的精予;并且,在4℃保存5d后,在mBF5稀释液中保存的精子正常顶体的百分率要高于在BF5中保存的精子。在4℃条件下保存的第1～5天,mBF5稀释液中的精子活力百分率高于LEN和BF5稀释液保存的精子活力。在3种稀释液中,保存的第1～5天,精子活力的百分率都持续地降低。保存的第1～5天,mBF5稀释液中保存的精子ATP浓度比LEN和BF5稀释液中保存的高。保存5d之后3种稀释液中精子ATP浓度都迅速下降。[结论]在4℃条件下保存5d,与LEN和BF5稀释液相比,保存在mBF5稀释液中的精子表现出较高的活力、正常的顶体百分率、活率和ATP浓度。     

DNA Fragmentation as an Early Indicator of Extender Efficacy: A Preliminary Study

Evaluation of new potential semen extenders is a field of economic and scientific importance, but assessing motility alone may not be sufficient. The objectives of this study were to examine the effect of oxidative damage by short-term exposure to H₂O₂ on stallion sperm motility and DNA fragmentation and to correlate motility to the percentage of DNA damage as assessed by both terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and single-cell gel electrophoresis assays. Motility and DNA fragmentation were determined immediately before cooling (0 hour) and at 24 hours postcooling. The addition of H₂O₂ (300 μM) to the extender had no effect on either total or progressive motility (P > .05). DNA fragmentation as determined by both Comet and TUNEL assays did not differ between 0 hour and those cells stored for 24 hours in the absence of H₂O₂ (P > .05). However, the addition of H₂O₂ to the extender plus incubation for 24 hours resulted in greater total Comet length, tail length, and tail moment as well as an increase in percentage of sperm cells with DNA damage detected by TUNEL compared to 0 hour (P < .05). Motility was not correlated with DNA damaged cells detected by TUNEL or Comet assays (P > .05). In conclusion, although both the Comet assay and TUNEL detected significant DNA fragmentation in cells exposed to H₂O_2, there was not a significant or appreciable effect of H₂O₂ on motility. Therefore, motility alone is likely not the best laboratory assay with which to assess cooled extender efficacy.     

Effects of mosapride citrate, metoclopramide hydrochloride, lidocaine hydrochloride, and cisapride citrate on equine gastric emptying, small intestinal and caecal motility

Objective

Although extensive work has been done to elucidate the beneficial and unfavorable effects of gastrointestinal prokinetic agents in humans, little is known on the effects of these agents in horses. In this study, we compared the effects of mosapride, metoclopramide, cisapride, and lidocaine on equine gastric emptying, jejunal and caecal motility and evaluated these agents’ adverse drug reactions (ADRs).

Animals

Seven healthy adult Thoroughbreds.

Procedure

Mosapride 1.0 mg/kg and 2.0 mg/kg, metoclopramide 0.2 mg/kg, and cisapride 1.0 mg/kg were dissolved in 100 mL distilled water for oral administration. Lidocaine 1.3 mg/kg was mixed with 500 mL saline for a 30-min intravenous infusion. Oral administration of 100 mL distilled water was used as control. Gastric emptying was evaluated using ¹³CO₂ breath test, and jejunal and caecal motility was assessed by electrointestinography.

Results

The present study demonstrates that mosapride at doses of 1.0 mg/kg and 2.0 mg/kg facilitates gastric emptying in horses. Improved jejunal motility was observed following administration of mosapride (1.0 mg/kg and 2.0 mg/kg), metoclopramide (0.2 mg/kg), and cisapride (1.0 mg/kg). Similarly, improved caecal motility was observed following administration of mosapride (2.0 mg/kg).

Conclusions and clinical relevance

This study shows that among the prokinetic agents studied here, only mosapride (2.0 mg/kg) promotes jejunal and caecal motility in horses. Considering mosapride ADRs profile, it is believed that this compound is useful in the treatment of diseases associated with decreased GI motility, including postoperative ileus.     

The Use of Cefquinome in Equine Semen Extender

Antibiotics are commonly used in equine semen extender for conservation, if semen has to be stored cooled for a maximum of 48 hours or frozen, to eliminate pathogenic or potentially pathogenic bacteria from semen and reduce the risk of postmating endometritis. Little is known about the effect of antibiotics on spermatozoa when semen is stored over a longer period. Cefquinome, a broad spectrum antibiotic and fourth-generation cephalosporin, has been proven to be a powerful drug for the treatment of endometritis and mastitis in different species. Recently in equine studies, it was found to localize in high concentrations in the endometrium. Therefore, cefquinome was used as the antibiotic in semen extender and compared with a commercial semen extender containing gentamicin for effects on motility and membrane integrity of spermatozoa. During the breeding season, ejaculates from nine light horse stallions were collected and half of each ejaculate was stored for 48 hours in modified Kenney type semen extender containing either cefquinome or gentamicin. At 0, 24, and 48 hours, aliquots (20 μL) of the stored semen were evaluated for (progressive) motility and membrane integrity, as well as for various motility parameters by computer assisted sperm analysis. No differences (P > .05) were found in total motility or progressive motility between extenders at any time point. However, there were differences (P < .05) in velocity parameters, although the effect of velocity parameters on fertility is not clear. In general, semen parameters after storage in non-fat dried skim milk semen extender containing cefquinome are comparable with those after storage in semen extender containing gentamicin. The wider spectrum of bactericidal activity possessed by cefquinome may prove to be beneficial in some cases.     

大菱鲆精子低温短期保存

大菱鲆(Scophthalmusmaximus)精子仅能体外存活10min左右,根本来不及从养殖场带回实验室,而生产单位的实验条件又有限,这严重限制了大菱鲆精子的实验研究。本文利用TS19做稀释液,6%DMSO作抗冻剂,在4℃下保存大菱鲆精子,每隔一段时间观察1次被保存精子的成活率。结果发现,大菱鲆精子体外存活时间可延长到3h。用保存3h的大菱鲆精子做授精实验,在各种精卵比的情况下,受精率与鲜精对照组没有显著差异。本实验保存大菱鲆精子的方法完全满足了大菱鲆精子短距离运输的要求。     

克林霉素对雄性小鼠精子功能的影响

[目的]研究克林霉素对雄性小鼠生殖细胞的影响。[方法]取48只健康成年雄性小白鼠,随机分为试验A组、B组、C组和对照组,每组12只小鼠。试验A、B和C组分别注射克林霉素15、30和60 mg/kg.d,对照组腹腔注射生理盐水。29 d后,脱臼处死小鼠,观察小鼠精子的活率、畸形率、精子膜低渗肿胀率。[结果]试验B、C组小鼠精子活率和尾膜肿胀比率低于对照组,而畸形率高于对照组;试验A组小鼠精子活率、畸形率以及尾膜肿胀比率与对照组相比无显著差异。[结论]克林霉素使用剂量等于或超过重度感染使用剂量时会影响雄性小鼠精子的正常功能。     

Flagella-mediated motility is required for biofilm formation by Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora

To elucidate the role of flagella in biofilm formation by Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora EC1, we used a nonflagellate, nonmotile mutant (ΔfliC) and a flagellate, nonmotile mutant (ΔmotA). A biofilm-inducing medium, which contains the yeast peptone (YP) medium plus the salts of M-63 minimal medium, supported biofilm formation to a greater extent than either the YP or Luria Bertani (LB) medium alone. We demonstrated that both the ΔfliC and ΔmotA mutants greatly reduced their ability to form a biofilm on the surface of the wells of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microtiter plates. The inability of both mutants to form biofilm on the PVC surface was further confirmed with phase-contrast microscopy. Both aflagellate (ΔfliC) and flagellate (ΔmotA) nonmotile mutants were equally defective in attachment to the PVC surface. The treatment of bacteria with the protonophore carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), which inhibits the motility of this organism, reduced greatly the biofilm formation. Based on these results, flagella-mediated motility may play an important role in biofilm formation of E. carotovora subsp. carotovora EC1.