More advanced in vitro evaluations and artificial insemination are required to reveal the exact effects of INRA-G5 on miniature Caspian stallion sperm quality and its fertilizing ability.

Journal of Equine Veterinary Science , Volume 34, Issue 5, May 2014, Pages 606-610
Author: Mahdi Zhandi , Vahid Ghadimi

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of glutathione-supplemented INRA82 extender on miniature Caspian stallion sperm quality during storage at 5°C.

A total of 12 ejaculates from three stallions (four ejaculates from each stallion) were collected and diluted with INRA82 extender that included different concentrations of glutathione (0 [INRA-G0], 5 [INRA-G5], and 10 mM [INRA-G10]) and stored for 48 hours at 5°C. Sperm motility (computer-assisted sperm analysis), plasma membrane integrity (eosin–nigrosin staining) and functionality (hypo-osmotic swelling test), and malondialdehyde (MDA) level were determined during storage at 5°C.

The results showed that the sperm total and progressive motility and plasma membrane integrity and functionality in all extenders were significantly decreased with increasing storage time. However, the MDA level in all extenders was significantly increased with increasing storage time.

Also, the results showed that most of the evaluated sperm quality parameters in the present study, with the exception of MDA, were significantly greater in INRA-G5 than in INRA-G0 and INRA-G10 after 24 and 48 hours of storage at 5°C. We have concluded that supplementation of INRA82 with 5 mM glutathione can improve miniature Caspian stallion sperm quality during storage at 5°C by increasing total and progressive motility, plasma membrane integrity and functionality, and decreasing the MDA level compared with INRA-G0 and INRA-G10.

More advanced in vitro evaluations and artificial insemination are required to reveal the exact effects of INRA-G5 on miniature Caspian stallion sperm quality and its fertilizing ability.

Keywords: Caspian stallion, Cooling, Glutathione, Sperm