Reducing the Glucose Level in Pre-treatment Solution Improves Post-thaw Boar Sperm Quality

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Reproductive Biology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Cryopreservation of boar sperm for artificial insemination is limited by quality degradation.
• Biochemical and physical changes during cryopreservation damage sperm viability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if reducing glucose levels in diluted medium can improve post-thaw boar sperm quality.
• To assess the impact of varying glucose concentrations on sperm metabolism and cryosurvival.

Main Methods:

• Boar sperm was diluted in media with glucose concentrations ranging from 0 to 153 mM.
• Evaluated sperm motility, glycolysis, ATP levels, mitochondrial function, and apoptosis post-thaw.
• Assessed enzyme activities related to glycolysis during cooling.

Main Results:

• High glucose (153 mM) increased glycolysis and altered motility patterns during cooling.
• Reduced glucose (down to 30.6 mM) suppressed glycolysis and improved post-thaw motility, membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity.
• Lower glucose levels enhanced mitochondrial function and ATP production, while reducing apoptosis.

Conclusions:

• Reducing glucose levels in diluted medium improves post-thaw boar sperm quality by decreasing glycolytic metabolism.
• Lowering sperm activity via reduced glycolysis during cooling enhances cryopreservation outcomes.
• This strategy offers a novel approach to improve boar sperm cryopreservation for artificial insemination.