RESUMEN
AIM: The aim was to compare commercially available soybean milk-based extenders, viz. Bioxcell(®) and Optixcell(®) (IMV, France) with standard Tris-citrate-fructose-egg yolk-glycerol (TFYG) extender for cryopreservation of buffalo semen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Semen was collected twice a week in artificial vagina from six sexually mature, 4-6 years old, healthy breeding bulls of Surti buffalo breed. In all 48 qualifying ejaculates (8 per bull) having initial motility >70% were split into three equal aliquots and were diluted (at 34°C keeping 100×10(6) sperm ml(-1)) in TFYG, Bioxcell and Optixcell extenders. The French mini straws filled from each aliquot were gradually cooled to 4-5°C, equilibrated at 4°C for 4 h and frozen in liquid nitrogen 2 vapor using programmable biofreezer. Just before freezing (post-equilibration) and 24 h after frozen storage, the samples were evaluated for various sperm quality parameters using standard protocols. Frozen semen straws were thawed in a water bath at 37°C for 30 s. The post-thaw incubation survival (37°C for 1 h) was assessed through motility rating at 0, 30 and 60 min of incubation. RESULTS: The mean percentages of prefreeze sperms in TFYG, Bioxcell and Optixcell extenders in terms of progressive motility (69.48±0.37, 68.02±0.49, 70.94±0.38), viability (79.21±0.39, 77.38±0.48, 81.58±0.38), total abnormalities (7.90±0.14, 8.60±0.16, 7.08±0.15), intact acrosome (89.54± 0.18, 88.58±0.22, 90.52±0.21) and hypoosmotic swelling (HOS) reactivity (67.96±0.32, 65.65±0.42, 70.23±0.37) varied significantly (p<0.05) between extenders. Similar pattern of significant (p<0.05) variations between these extenders for post-thaw sperm progressive motility (47.71±0.79, 44.38±0.85, 49.90±0.90), viability (57.19±0.79, 53.85±0.84, 59.67±0.91), total abnormalities (12.33±0.17, 12.75±0.21, 11.27±0.18), intact acrosome (76.83±0.23, 75.90± 0.27, 78.50±0.25) and HOS reactivity (45.02±0.84, 42.31±0.82, 47.81±0.90) was also observed for TFYG, Bioxcell and Optixcell extenders. The recently launched improved soybean milk-based extender Optixcell excelled the older Bioxcell extender and even standard TFYG in respect of some of the sperm quality parameters. CONCLUSION: The advantages of soy lecithin-based bovine semen extenders over egg yolk regarding sanitary issues are unquestionable but still egg yolk-based semen extenders are widely used because of the cost factor and good in vivo fertility results.
RESUMEN
PURPOSE: Polymorphism in cytokine genes may affect its production, which play an important role in modulation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Evaluation of these polymorphisms might help to understand why some individuals remain uninfected in spite of several exposures to HIV infection, such as the negative spouses of discordant couples. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of 22 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 13 cytokine genes and their receptors with HIV infection in serodiscordant couples, attending the Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre of a Municipality Hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: At the end of at least 2 years of follow up, 42 couples were confirmed as being serodiscordant. Genotyping was carried out in blood samples of these couples using the polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific amplification method. RESULTS: Significantly high frequency of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist IL-1RA mspa 11100 CC (P=0.04), tumor necrosis factor-alpha TNF-α -238 AG (P=0.01) and IL-4 -33 TT (P=0.01) was observed in HIV seropositives (HSP) while frequency of TNF-α -238 GG (P=0.02) was significantly high among the exposed uninfected (EU). However, application of Bonferroni correction identified only two SNPs i.e., TNF-α -238 AG and IL-4 -33 TT to be significantly associated with the acquisition of HIV. In remaining cytokine genes, no significant association was observed. CONCLUSION: Our study highlighted possible association of certain specific polymorphisms with HIV transmission, whereas presence or absence of certain other polymorphism in EU individuals might be offering protection from HIV infection. These variations at the genetic level might help to explore new insights into treatment and HIV prevention strategies.