PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF LYCOPENE ON THE BOVINE SPERMATOZOA ACTIVITY UNDER OXIDATIVE STRESS — ASN Events
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  2. Poster Session 1
  3. PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF LYCOPENE ON THE BOVINE SPERMATOZOA ACTIVITY UNDER OXIDATIVE STRESS

PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF LYCOPENE ON THE BOVINE SPERMATOZOA ACTIVITY UNDER OXIDATIVE STRESS (#410)

Eva Tvrda 1 , Norbert Lukac 1 , Tomas Jambor 1 , Peter Massanyi 1
  1. Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture, Nitra, Slovakia

Lycopene is one of the major superoxide quenching substances and membrane protectors against oxidative damage along with lipid peroxidation (LPO). The study was designed to determine the optimal dose of lycopene to cease or reverse free radical-mediated oxidative damage on motility, superoxide production and LPO of bovine spermatozoa. Fresh semen samples from ten breeding bulls were suspended in 2.9% sodium citrate, divided into equal fractions and subjected to lycopene treatment (2, 1, 0.5, 0.25, 0 mmol/L) in the presence or absence of oxidative stress inducer (ferrous ascorbate; FeAA, 150 μmol FeSO4 and 750 μmol ascorbic acid). All cell suspensions were incubated for 6 h. Spermatozoa motility, progressive motility (using the CASA system) and superoxide production (via the NBT test) were assessed in each sample at 0h, 2h and 6h of culture. After 6h, the cells were collected, lysed and assessed for LPO via the TBARS assay. Treatment with FeAA reduced sperm motility and progressive motility, but increased the superoxide production along with LPO. All doses of lycopene stabilized or significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001) increased the spermatozoa motion characteristics, but reduced the superoxide overproduction as well as LPO. Moreover, higher lycopene concentrations proved to be more effective.  In conclusion, lycopene reduced the LPO caused by FeAA, and improved the spermatozoa activity in vitro under induced oxidative stress conditions. At the same time we may suggest that it may be a suitable supplement for the in vitro management and preservation of male gametes. 

This work was supported by the research projects of the Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic (VEGA no. 1/0532/11), by the European Community under the project no. 26220220180: “Construction of the “AgroBioTech” Research Centre” and by the Intenda Foundation.

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