IRON - A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD IN SPERMATOZOA VITALITY — ASN Events
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  2. Poster Session 2-Spermatology
  3. IRON - A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD IN SPERMATOZOA VITALITY

IRON - A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD IN SPERMATOZOA VITALITY (#208)

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

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of ferrous (Fe2+) or ferric (Fe3+) ion on the motility, viability and oxidative status of bovine spermatozoa during a 24h cell culture. Semen samples were collected from 20 breeding bulls and incubated in physiological saline solution supplemented with different concentrations (500, 100, 50, 10, 5, 0 μmol/L) of divalent (FeCl2) or trivalent iron (FeCl3). Spermatozoa motility (via the CASA system), viability (using the mitochondrial metabolic test-MTT) and superoxide production (via the nitroblue tetrazolium test-NBT) were assessed in each sample at cultivation times of 0h, 8h and 24h. Furthermore, the cells were collected, lysed and examined for changes in lipid peroxidation (using the TBARS assay). Both ferrous and ferric iron had a dose- and time-dependent impact on the spermatozoa physiology and oxidative balance. Concentrations >50 μmol/L FeCl2 and >100 μmol/L FeCl3 led to a significant (P<0.05; P<0.01; P<0.001) decrease of spermatozoa motility and mitochondrial activity, accompanied by a significant (P<0.05; P<0.01; P<0.001) superoxide production, as well as a significant (P<0.05; P<0.01; P<0.001) rise of lipid peroxidation. Concentrations below 10 μmol/L FeCl2 and 50 μmol/L FeCl3 proved to be stimulating to the spermatozoa activity, as shown by a significantly (P<0.05; P<0.01; P<0.001) increased motion and viability parameters, along with a significant (P<0.05; P<0.01; P<0.001) prevention of lipid peroxidation. In a direct comparison, ferrous iron has been shown to be more toxic than the ferric iron. The in vitro data suggest that 50 μmol/L FeCl2 and 100 μmol/L FeCl3 may be considered as the critical in vitro concentrations of iron balancing between being an essential trace metal and a serious prooxidant substance. 

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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