Accepted articles-next issues

The aim of this study was to compare the hypo-osmotic swelling (HOS) and water-induced hypo-osmotic tests (Water test) by assessing the functional membrane integrity (FMI) of dog sperm from the sperm-rich fractions (SRFs) and whole ejaculates (WEs). ANOVA results showed that only sperm source had significant effects on the percentages of sperm cells with FMI. Both the HOS and Water tests indicated that sperm from the WEs exhibited significantly higher FMI than those from the SRFs. Scatter plot regression analysis confirmed highly positive significant relationships between the HOS and Water tests, particularly for sperm originating from the SRFs. Although the Bland-Altman method showed that the average discrepancy of the measurement of the FMI for the SRFs was higher than the WEs, the findings of the present study indicate that both HOS and the Water tests provided measurements that were in close agreement. Such findings confirm that both the HOS and Water tests detected similar populations of sperm cells with FMI either from the SRFs or WEs. We suggest that the significantly higher proportions of sperm with FMI from the WEs, detected by both the HOS and Water tests, reaffirm the important role of the sperm-coating components of the prostatic fluid in protecting the membrane structures of sperm exposed to hypo-osmotic conditions.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cryoprotective capacity of Tris-Citrate-Fructose (TCF) extenders supplemented with soy lecithin (asolectin) at concentrations of 0.05% (Asol 0.05%) and 0.5% (Asol 0.5%), in comparison with the commonly used egg yolk-based extender (TCF-EY). Ten ejaculates, each obtained from a different dog, were included in the experiment. Both fresh and cryopreserved semen were assessed for total motility (TM) and progressive motility (PM) using computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA). Plasma membrane integrity (LIVE), DNA fragmentation index (DFI), mitochondrial activity (MT−/PI+; MT+/PI+; MT+/PI−), and oxidative stress (CellROX+/DRD+; CellROX−/DRD−; CellROX+/DRD−) were measured by flow cytometry. Significant differences (p<0.05) were found in TM (%) between the TCF-EY and Asol 0.5% groups (51.16 ± 5.80 vs. 22.33 ± 9.62). However, no significant differences were observed in LIVE sperm. The DFI remained below 5% in all examined groups. Compared with the control TCF-EY extender, both soy-supplemented groups showed a significant reduction in the population of viable sperm without oxidative stress. The use of asolectin-based extenders also significantly reduced the percentage of viable sperm with active mitochondria, compared to the TCF-EY extender. There were no significant differences between the tested two soy lecithin concentrations in any of the evaluated parameters.. In conclusion, the TCF-EY extender demonstrated superior efficacy in preserving semen quality after cryopreservation. Further research is needed to explore alternative phospholipid sources, including different types and concentrations of soy lecithin, and their effects on sperm fertilizing capacity.

Following testicular ischemia, the return of blood circulation promotes reactive oxygen species formation. By damaging cellular components such as proteins, DNA and lipids, reactive oxygen species negatively affect testicular spermatogenic function. Numerous plant species, particularly those within the Oleaceae family, contain oleanolic acid as a principal active ingredient. Extensive research has confirmed oleanolic acid’s efficacy in exerting antioxidant action. We examined the therapeutic potential of oleanolic acid in mitigating testicular damage induced by ischemia-reperfusion in rats. The study included three groups, each comprising twenty male rats: a sham group, an ischemia-reperfusion group, and an ischemia-reperfusion group treated with oleanolic acid (30 mg/kg). Left testicular torsion of 720 degrees counterclockwise, maintained for 2 hours, induced testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury. After surgical detorsion of the left testis, the ischemia-reperfusion + oleanolic acid group was treated immediately with a single 30 mg/kg dose of oleanolic acid via intraperitoneal injection. Multiple analytical procedures were performed on testicular tissues collected from three rat groups. Biochemical measurements encompassed both nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase activity (critical for reactive oxygen species production) and malondialdehyde concentration (a reactive oxygen species indicator). We employed hematoxylin-eosin staining for the evaluation of spermatogenic function in testicular tissue. Relative to sham group, ischemia-reperfusion group exhibited significantly elevated NADPH oxidase activity and malondialdehyde levels in ipsilateral testes, accompanied by impaired spermatogenic function (p<0.05). Oleanolic acid intervention effectively suppressed oxidative stress markers (NADPH oxidase activity and malondialdehyde levels) in ipsilateral testes, relatively enhancing spermatogenic capacity (p<0.05). Overall, oleanolic acid enhances testicular spermatogenic function by lowering NADPH oxidase activity and curbing reactive oxygen species formation.