OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated with a xanthine(X) and xanthine oxidase (XO) system on sperm function, the change of sperm characteristics, lipid peroxidation, and DNA fragmentation in bovine spermatozoa. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ROS were produced using a combination of 100 micrometer X and 50 mU/ml XO. The ROS scavengers: superoxide dismutase (SOD)(200mu/ml) and catalase (500mu/ml) were also tested. Spermatozoa were incubated for 2 hours in BWW medium with a combination of X-XO supplemented with or without ROS scavengers at 37degrees C under 5% CO2 incubator. Sperm movement characteristics by CASA (computer-aided sperm analysis), HOST (hypoosmotic swelling test), Ca-ionophore induced acrosome reaction, malondialdehyde formation for the analysis of lipid peroxidation, the percentage of DNA fragmentation using the method of TdT-mediated nick end labelling (TUNEL) by flow cytometry were determined after 2 hours incubation. RESULTS: The action of ROS on bovine spermatozoa resulted in a decreased in capacity for sperm motility, Ca-ionophore induced acrosome reaction and membrane integrity, an increased in malondialdehyde formation and the percentage of sperm with DNA fragmentation. In the effects of antioxidant, catalase completely alleviated the toxic effects induced by the ROS in terms of sperm function and characteristics, however SOD exhibited no capacity to reduce the toxic effects. CONCLUSION: The ROS can induce significant damages to sperm functions and characteristics. The useful ROS scavengers can minimized the defects of sperm function and various damages of spermatozoa.
Acrosome Reaction ; Catalase ; DNA Fragmentation* ; DNA* ; Flow Cytometry ; Incubators ; Lipid Peroxidation* ; Malondialdehyde ; Membranes ; Reactive Oxygen Species* ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa* ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Xanthine Oxidase

No abstract available.
Humans* ; Spermatozoa*

Assisted hatching (AH), which is known to improve the hatching potential of mammalian embryos, has been used to increase the pregnancy rate in in vitro fertilization cycles. However, the effect of AH on a trypsin-like protease, which is known to be associated with the hatching process, has not been studied. In this study, we evaluate whether the intactness of zona pellucida affects the secretion of a trypsin-like protease from mouse blastocyst. Four- to 8-cell stage mouse embryos were collected at 66- to 68 hr after hCG injection and divided into 3 groups according to the manipulation of zona pellucida. The groups are no treatment (control), drilling of zona pellucida (ZD) and thinning of zona pellucida (ZT). The activity of a trypsin-like protease, blastocyst development and hatching rate were compared among the three groups at 110 and 135 hr after hCG injection, respectively. The protease activity and blastocyst development were not significantly different among control, ZD and ZT groups at 110 and 135 hr after hCG injection, respectively. However, the hatching rate of ZD and ZT groups was significantly higher than that of control group at each time, respectively (p>0.001). Even in the zona pellucida removed embryos, the protease activity did not differ from the control group. In conclusion, the secretion of a trypsin-like protease from mouse blastocyst does not seem to be affected by the intactness of zona pellucida.
Animal ; Blastocyst/secretion ; Blastocyst/enzymology* ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro/methods ; Gonadotropins, Chorionic/pharmacology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Inbred CBA ; Pregnancy ; Serine Endopeptidases/secretion ; Serine Endopeptidases/metabolism* ; Zona Pellucida/physiology* ; Zona Pellucida/drug effects