Evaluation of lipid peroxidation status in canine-cooled semen (5°C/24 hours) with or without seminal plasma

• Grant number: 25/00493-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 19, 2025
• End date: July 03, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Reproduction
• Principal Investigator: Edjalma Rodrigues da Silva Junior
• Grantee: João Victor Lé Lode
• Supervisor: Sebastian Patrick Arlt
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária (FMVA). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araçatuba. Araçatuba , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Zurich (UZH), Switzerland
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/13197-1 - Methodological standardizations in the cooling of canine semen, BP.IC

Abstract

The advancement of reproductive biotechnologies in carnivores has resulted in an increased demand for the utilization of artificial insemination, particularly by using cool-stored (5 - 8°C) semen. This technology offers multiple advantages, such as Minimizing animal stress by eliminating the need for transportation to the clinic, and higher pregnancy rates than frozen semen. However, the lack of standardized protocols for semen processing, storage, and shipping may affect the expected outcomes (i.e., pregnancy or whelping rates) of cool-stored sperm when compared to natural cover or artificial insemination with fresh semen. Many techniques to enhance sperm longevity in other domestic animals (i.e., seminal plasma removal by centrifugation in horses) may be applied to canine sperm, potentially increasing its longevity and fertility. In addition, while semen extenders are utilized to process canine sperm for cooled storage, there is not sufficient evidence regarding dilution ratios, final sperm concentration, and storage temperatures that could be employed. Furthermore, the impact of these processing techniques on the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by canine spermatozoa, and subsequent sperm damage due to ROS is still unknown to date. Therefore, this proposal aims to determine the impact of various methods for canine semen processing on the occurrence of oxidative stress-related changes following cooled storage.