Effect of Heat Stress on Sperm DNA: Protamine Assessment in Ram Spermatozoa and Testicle

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dos Santos Hamilton, Thais Rose ; Perez Siqueira, Adriano Felipe ; de Castro, Leticia Signori ; Mendes, Camilla Mota ; Delgado, Juliana de Carvalho ; de Assis, Patricia Monken ; Mesquita, Leonardo Pereira ; Maiorka, Paulo Cesar ; Nichi, Marcilio ; Goissis, Marcelo Demarchi ; Visintin, Jose Antonio ; Avila Assumpcao, Mayra Elena Ortiz D.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY; v. 2018, p. 14-pg., 2018-01-01.

Abstract

Sperm DNA fragmentation is considered one of the main causes of male infertility. The most accepted causes of sperm DNA damage are deleterious actions of reactive oxygen species (ROS), defects in protamination, and apoptosis. Ram sperm are highly prone to those damages due to the high susceptibility to ROS and to oxidative stress caused by heat stress. We aimed to evaluate the effects of heat stress on the chromatin of ejaculated and epididymal sperm and the activation of apoptotic pathways in different cell types in ram testis. We observed higher percentages of ejaculated sperm with increased chromatin fragmentation in the heat stress group; a fact that was unexpectedly not observed in epididymal sperm. Heat stress group presented a higher percentage of spermatozoa with DNA fragmentation and increased number of mRNA copies of transitional protein 1. Epididymal sperm presented greater gene expression of protamine 1 on the 30th day of the spermatic cycle; however, no differences in protamine protein levels were observed in ejaculated sperm and testis. Localization of proapoptotic protein BAX or BCL2 in testis was not different. In conclusion, testicular heat stress increases ram sperm DNA fragmentation without changes in protamination and apoptotic patterns. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/16157-3 - Identifying undifferentiated bovine spermatogonial stem cells
• Grantee: Marcelo Demarchi Goissis
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 13/05025-1 - Measurement of antioxidant enzymes in the ram's semen: cellular and plasma concentrations
• Grantee: Thais Rose dos Santos Hamilton
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 11/11231-8 - Study of factors involved in DNA fragmentation of spermatozoa in ram.
• Grantee: Thais Rose dos Santos Hamilton
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 11/19551-1 - Relationship between protamine type and endonuclease activity in the protection of the bovine sperm DNA
• Grantee: Mayra Elena Ortiz D' Avila Assumpcao
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants