Standardization of a Sex-Sorting Protocol for Stallion Spermatozoa by Means of Absolute RT-qPCR.

Sperm sexing is a technology that can generate great economic benefits in the animal production sector. Techniques such as sex-sorting promise over 90% accuracy in sperm sexing. However, for the correct standardization of the technique, some laboratory methodologies are required. The present manuscript describes in detail a standardized equine sperm sex-sorting protocol using an absolute qPCR-based methodology. Furthermore, the results of absolute qPCR were implemented and validated by generating equine/bovine heterologous embryos by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) of presumably sexed equine spermatozoa into bovine oocytes using a piezoelectric system (Piezo-ICSI). Our results indicated that equine sex-sorting spermatozoa had a 97% and 94% certainty for X and Y sperm, respectively, while presumptive female and male equine/bovine hybrid embryos, generated by Piezo-ICSI, had an accuracy of 92% with respect to the desired sex. Therefore, it is concluded that the presented methodology is a reliable, cost-effective, and relatively simple option for standardizing sex-sorting of equine spermatozoa. This is supported by the results of the correct sexing of Piezo-ICSI heterologous embryos generated with the sexed spermatozoa, validating the correct sexing and viability of these gametes.

Efeitos de diferentes diluidores sobre a cinética, membranas, morfologia e cromatina espermáticas durante a refrigeração de sêmen equino / Effects of different extenders on sperm kinetic, membranes, morphology, and chromatin during equine semen cooling

Incrementar a eficiência do processo de refrigeração do sêmen é de grande interesse na reprodução da espécie equina, à medida que a população de equinos cresce, também aumenta a demanda para a comercialização e transporte de sêmen refrigerado. Esse trabalho foi realizado para verificar os efeitos de diferentes diluidores para refrigeração de sêmen equino a 5°C sobre a cinética, membranas, morfologia e cromatina espermáticas durante 12 horas de armazenagem. Foram utilizados quatro ejaculados de quatro garanhões de diferentes raças, colhidos em intervalos semanais. Imediatamente após a colheita, o sêmen in natura foi avaliado quanto ao movimento espermático utilizando-se o sistema computadorizado de análise espermática (CASA), integridade das membranas plasmática e acrossomal e o potencial de membrana mitocondrial, utilizando-se sondas fluorescentes (PI, H342, FITCPSA e JC-1, por microscopia de epifluorescência), morfologia espermática por microscopia de contraste de interferência diferencial (DIC) e desnaturação da cromatina pela coloração de Azul de Toluidina. Logo após as análises, o sêmen foi diluído usando-se três diluidores diferentes: SMT, à base de leite desnatado e meio de Tyrode (adaptado de: PADILLA; FOOTE, 1991), BSAG, diluidor contendo BSA (adaptado de: GIBB et al., 2011) e SMK, à base de leite desnatado (KENNEY et al., 1975; controle), em seguida foi envasado em bisnagas na concentração de 50 x 106 sptz/mL e refrigerado a 5°C em caixas BotuFLEX® (Botupharma, Botucatu-SP), durante um período de 12 horas. [...] Conclui-se que a refrigeração do sêmen equino a 5ºC altera a cinética espermática de forma oscilante entre os diluidores no decorrer do tempo até 12 horas. Os diluidores SMT e o SMK preservam melhor a cinética, integridade de membranas e morfologia espermática do que o diluidor BSAG.

To develop the efficiency of cooling semen is the great advantage in the equine reproduction, as according to the equine population to grow up, too increase the demand to market and transport of cooling semen. This experiment was performed to verify the effects of different extenders to equine cooling semen at 5°C on the sperm kinetic, membranes, morphology and chromatin during 12 hours of storage. Were utilized four ejaculates from four stallions of different breeds, collected a week. Immediately after the collection, the in natura semen was evaluated as the sperm movement using the Computer-Assisted Semen Analysis (CASA), integrity of plasma and acrossomal membranes and mitochondrial membrane potential, using the fluorescent probes (PI, H342, FITC-PSA and JC-1, by epifluorescência microscopy), sperm morphology by microscopy of differential interference contrast (DIC) and chromatin denaturation by Toluidine blue. As soon as finished the analyses, the semen was diluted using three different extenders: SMT, skim milk based and Tyrode medium (adapted from PADILLA; FOOTE, 1991), BSAG, extender containing BSA (adapted from GIBB et al., 2011) and SMK, skim milk based (KENNEY et al., 1975; control), following was packed in flasks at 50 x 106sperm/mL concentration and cooling at 5°C in BotuFLEX® (Botupharma, Botucatu-SP) box, during 12 hours. The semen was analyzed 5 minutes after dilution (T0), 4 (T4), 8 (T8) and 12 hours (T12) after cooling about sperm movement, plasma and acrossomal membranes integrity and mitochondrial membrane potential sperm morphology and chromatin denaturation. The statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Analysis System (SAS inst. Inc.) software. [...] It was concluded that the equine semen cooling at 5ºC change the sperm kinetic oscillating way among extenders during the time until 12 hours. The SMT and SMK extenders are better to preserve the sperm kinetic, membranes integrity and morphology than BSAG extender.