Coenzyme Q10 preserves buck's sperm quality during cryopreservation process in plant-based extender

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Biology
• Animal Science
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Cryopreservation of small ruminant semen is crucial for breeding programs.
• Sperm cryopreservation often leads to reduced fertility due to oxidative stress and membrane damage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of varying Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) concentrations in a soybean lecithin extender on buck semen quality post-cryopreservation.
• To determine the optimal CoQ10 concentration for preserving buck sperm parameters during freezing and thawing.

Main Methods:

• Buck semen was diluted in soybean lecithin-based extenders with CoQ10 concentrations of 0, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 µM.
• Post-thaw semen quality was assessed by evaluating motility, membrane integrity, mitochondrial activity, acrosome integrity, viability, and oxidative stress markers.
• Parameters included apoptosis-like changes, lipid peroxidation, DNA fragmentation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration.

Main Results:

• The 10 µM CoQ10 group (Q10) showed significantly higher total motility, progressive motility, average path velocity, membrane integrity, mitochondrial activity, acrosome integrity, and viability compared to other groups.
• Supplementation with 10 µM CoQ10 significantly reduced apoptotic-like changes, lipid peroxidation, DNA fragmentation, and ROS concentration.
• CoQ10 demonstrated a dose-dependent protective effect, with 10 µM being the most effective concentration.

Conclusions:

• Coenzyme Q10 acts as a potent antioxidant, significantly improving the quality and fertility potential of cryopreserved buck semen.
• The 10 µM CoQ10 concentration in soybean lecithin extenders is optimal for protecting buck spermatozoa against cryodamage.
• CoQ10 supplementation is a promising strategy to enhance the efficacy of small ruminant semen cryopreservation for reproductive purposes.