Effects of re-stripping on the seminal characteristics of pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) during the breeding season

Author(s)

Kuradomi, Rafael Y. ^[1] ; De Souza, Thiago G. ^[1] ; Foresti, Fausto ^{[2, 1]} ; Schulz, Rudiger W. ^[3] ; Bogerd, Jan ^[3] ; Moreira, Renata G. ^[4] ; Furlan, Luiz R. ^[1] ; Almeida, Eduardo A. ^[5] ; Maschio, Lucilene R. ^[5] ; Batlouni, Sergio R. ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Paulista UNESP, CAUNESP, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Paulista UNESP, Inst Biociencias, Dept Morfol, BR-18618970 Botucatu, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Utrecht, Fac Sci, Dept Biol, Div Dev Biol, Reprod Biol Grp, NL-3584 CH Utrecht - Netherlands

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Biociencias, Dept Fisiol, BR-05508900 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[5] Univ Estadual Paulista UNESP, Dept Quim & Ciencias Ambientais, BR-15054000 Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: General and Comparative Endocrinology; v. 225, p. 162-173, JAN 1 2016.
• Web of Science Citations: 8

Abstract

Seminal characteristics in teleost fish with an annual reproductive period, such as pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus), may vary during the breeding season. The sperm formed before the beginning of the spawning period may be stored for a long time, causing damage to the cells. Therefore, re-stripping may be an important way to eliminate the ``old{''} and allow for the collection of ``new{''} spermatozoids. In this study, we analyzed the seminal characteristics of hormonally induced pacu at the beginning, middle and end of the breeding season, and we analyzed samples from re-stripped males (stripped first at the beginning, re-stripped in the middle, and re-stripped again at the end of the season) during two breeding seasons. The sperm density, ionic composition, pH, and osmolality were similar among the groups. The semen volume, seminal plasma protein concentration and incidence of morphologically anomalous sperm increased over time. In addition, some parameters that are associated with good-quality semen decreased, such as sperm motility, viability and DNA integrity. Moreover, we observed a positive association among motility, viability and DNA integrity for sperm with elevated 11-ketotestosterone, but there was no such association for fshb or lhb mRNA levels in the pituitary. The semen that was obtained earlier (at the beginning) or from re-stripped males exhibited better characteristics than the other samples collected. In conclusion, collecting semen from pacu at the end of breeding season should be avoided; it is preferable to strip early and then re-strip later in the season, and this approach may be used for diverse aquaculture purposes. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/05286-1 - Synchronization of the ovarian maturation process in pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus)
• Grantee: Fausto Foresti
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 10/00825-1 - Synchronization of the ovarian maturation process in pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus)
• Grantee: Rafael Yutaka Kuradomi
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate