Identification of differentially expressed mRNAs and miRNAs in spermatozoa of bulls of varying fertility.

Bulls used in artificial insemination, with apparently normal semen quality, can vary significantly in their field fertility. This study aimed to characterize the transcriptome of spermatozoa from high (HF) and low (LF) fertility bulls at the mRNA and miRNA level in order to identify potential novel markers of fertility. Holstein-Friesian bulls were assigned to either the HF or LF group (n = 10 per group) based on an adjusted national fertility index from a minimum of 500 inseminations. Total RNA was extracted from a pool of frozen-thawed spermatozoa from three different ejaculates per bull, following which mRNA-seq and miRNA-seq were performed. Six mRNAs and 13 miRNAs were found differentially expressed (P < 0.05, FC > 1.5) between HF and LF bulls. Of particular interest, the gene pathways targeted by the 13 differentially expressed miRNAs were related to embryonic development and gene expression regulation. Previous studies reported that disruptions to protamine 1 mRNA (PRM1) had deleterious consequences for sperm chromatin structure and fertilizing ability. Notably, PRM1 exhibited a higher expression in spermatozoa from LF than HF bulls. In contrast, Western Blot analysis revealed a decrease in PRM1 protein abundance for spermatozoa from LF bulls; this was not associated with increased protamine deficiency (measured by the degree of chromatin compaction) or DNA fragmentation, as assessed by flow cytometry analyses. However, protamine deficiency was positively and moderately correlated with the percentage of spermatozoa with DNA fragmentation, irrespective of fertility group. This study has identified potential biomarkers that could be used for improving semen quality assessments of bull fertility.

Comprehensive functional analysis reveals that acrosome integrity and viability are key variables distinguishing artificial insemination bulls of varying fertility.

In vitro methods of assessing bull semen quality in artificial insemination (AI) centers are unable to consistently detect individuals of lower fertility, and attempts to reliably predict bull fertility are still ongoing. This highlights the need to identify robust biomarkers that can be readily measured in a practical setting and used to improve current predictions of bull fertility. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed a range of functional, morphological, and intracellular attributes in cryopreserved spermatozoa from a selected cohort of Holstein Friesian AI bulls classified as having either high or low fertility (n = 10 of each fertility phenotype; difference of 11.4% in adjusted pregnancy rate between groups). Here, spermatozoa were assessed for motility and kinematic parameters, morphology, acrosome integrity, plasma membrane lipid packing, viability (or membrane integrity), superoxide production, and DNA integrity. In addition, spermatozoa were used for in vitro fertilization to evaluate their capacity for fertilization and successful embryo development. The information collected from these assessments was then used to phenotypically profile the 2 groups of bulls of divergent fertility status as well as to develop a model to predict bull fertility. According to the results, acrosome integrity and viability were the only sperm attributes that were significantly different between high- and low-fertility bulls. Interestingly, although spermatozoa from low-fertility bulls, on average, had reduced viability and acrosome integrity, this response varied considerably from bull to bull. Principal component analysis revealed a sperm phenotypic profile that represented a high proportion of ejaculates from low-fertility bulls. This was constructed based on the collective influence of several sperm attributes, including the presence of cytoplasmic droplets and superoxide production. Finally, using the combined results as a basis for modeling, we developed a linear model that was able to explain 47% of the variation in bull field fertility in addition to a logistic predictive model that had a 90% chance of distinguishing between fertility groups. Taken together, we conclude that viability and acrosome integrity could serve as fertility biomarkers in the field and, when used alongside other sperm attributes, may be useful in detecting low-fertility bulls. However, the variable nature of low-fertility bulls suggests that additional, in-depth characterization of spermatozoa at a molecular level is required to further understand the etiology of low fertility in dairy bulls.

HDL mediates reverse cholesterol transport from ram spermatozoa and induces hyperactivated motility.

Reverse cholesterol transport or cholesterol efflux is part of an extensive plasma membrane remodeling process in spermatozoa that is imperative for fertilization. For ram spermatozoa, sheep serum is well known to support in vitro fertilization (IVF), but knowledge of its explicit role is limited. Though, it is postulated to elicit cholesterol efflux owing to the presence of high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) that interact with transmembrane cholesterol transporters, such as adenosinetriphosphate (ATP)-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) and scavenger receptor class B, type I (SR-BI). In this study, we report that both sheep serum and HDLs were able to elicit cholesterol efflux alone by up to 20-40% (as measured by the boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY)-cholesterol assay). Furthermore, when the antagonists glibenclamide and valspodar were used to inhibit the function of ABCA1 and SR-BI or ABCA1 alone, respectively, cholesterol efflux was only marginally reduced (8-15%). Nevertheless, it is likely that in ram spermatozoa, a specific facilitated pathway of cholesterol efflux is involved in the interaction between cholesterol acceptors and transporters. Interestingly, exposure to HDLs also induced hyperactivated motility, another critical event required for successful fertilization. Taken together, this study details the first report of the dual action of HDLs on ram spermatozoa, providing both an insight into the intricacy of events leading up to fertilization in vivo as well as demonstrating the possible application of HDL supplementation in media for IVF.

Synergism between albumin, bicarbonate and cAMP upregulation for cholesterol efflux from ram sperm.

Compared to other mammalian species, ram spermatozoa are difficult to capacitate in vitro. Dibutyryl cAMP (db-cAMP) and the phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors, caffeine and theophylline (cAMP up-regulators), must be added to traditional capacitation media (containing bicarbonate, calcium and BSA) to elicit a capacitation response. In this exploratory study, we assessed whether bicarbonate was still required for ram spermatozoa if cAMP is up-regulated by the addition of db-cAMP and PDE inhibitors and what role BSA plays in cholesterol efflux under these conditions. In this study, the validated BODIPY-cholesterol assay was used for the first time in ram spermatozoa to quantify cholesterol efflux by tracking the loss of BODIPY-cholesterol from the sperm plasma membrane using flow cytometry. The results show that under cAMP up-regulated conditions, an increase in membrane fluidity and tyrosine phosphorylation of sperm proteins remain as bicarbonate-dependent processes. In fact, the supplementation of bicarbonate under these conditions was necessary to further enhance cAMP production in ram spermatozoa, which correlated with the presence of these capacitation-related processes. When BSA was supplemented with cAMP up-regulators (as well as bicarbonate), there was a loss of approximately 20-23% of BODIPY-cholesterol (79.5 ± 30.5% to 76.9 ± 12.3% remaining from 10 min), indicating that BSA is essential for mediating cholesterol efflux in ram spermatozoa as measured by the BODIPY-cholesterol assay. The current study identifies the functional relationship between bicarbonate, BSA and cAMP up-regulators that is required to support capacitation-related processes in ram spermatozoa, specifically cholesterol efflux.

Novel methods to detect capacitation-related changes in spermatozoa.

Prior to interaction with the oocyte, spermatozoa must undergo capacitation, which involves a series of physio-chemical transformations that occur in the female tract. As capacitation is a pre-requisite for successful fertilisation, it is a topic of great interest for sperm biologists, but the complexity of the numerous biochemical and biophysical processes involved make it difficult to measure. Capacitation is an extremely complex event that encompasses numerous integrated processes that can occur concurrently during this window of time. The identification of techniques to accurately assess and quantify capacitation is therefore crucial to gain a meaningful insight into this fascinating sperm maturation event. Whilst there are extensive reviews in the literature that focus on the functional changes to spermatozoa during capacitation, few have examined the methods required to measure these changes. The aim of this review is to highlight frequently used methods to quantify different stages of capacitation and identify promising novel techniques. Factors that are able to modulate various capacitation processes will also be discussed. The overall outcome is to provide researchers with a toolbox of methods that can be used to gain a deeper understanding of the intricacies of capacitation in spermatozoa.

Oestrus synchronisation and superovulation alter the cervicovaginal mucus proteome of the ewe.

Although essential for artificial insemination (AI) and MOET (multiple ovulation and embryo transfer), oestrus synchronisation and superovulation are associated with increased female reproductive tract mucus production and altered sperm transport. The effects of such breeding practices on the ovine cervicovaginal (CV) mucus proteome have not been detailed. The aim of this study was to qualitatively and quantitatively investigate the Merino CV mucus proteome in naturally cycling (NAT) ewes at oestrus and mid-luteal phase, and quantitatively compare CV oestrus mucus proteomes of NAT, progesterone synchronised (P4) and superovulated (SOV) ewes. Quantitative analysis revealed 60 proteins were more abundant during oestrus and 127 were more abundant during the luteal phase, with 27 oestrus specific and 40 luteal specific proteins identified. The oestrus proteins most disparate in abundance compared to mid-luteal phase were ceruloplasmin (CP), chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1), clusterin (CLU), alkaline phosphatase (ALPL) and mucin-16 (MUC16). Exogenous hormones greatly altered the proteome with 51 and 32 proteins more abundant and 98 and 53 proteins less abundant, in P4 and SOV mucus, respectively when compared to NAT mucus. Investigation of the impact of these proteomic changes on sperm motility and longevity within mucus may help improve sperm transport and fertility following cervical AI. SIGNIFICANCE: This manuscript is the first to detail the proteome of ovine cervicovaginal mucus using qualitative and quantitative proteomic methods over the oestrous cycle in naturally cycling ewes, and also after application of common oestrus synchronisation and superovulation practices. The investigation of the mucus proteome throughout both the follicular and luteal periods of the oestrous cycle, and also after oestrous synchronisation and superovulation provides information about the endocrine control and the effects that exogenous hormones have on protein expression in the female reproductive tract. This information contributes to the field by providing important information on the changes that occur to the cervicovaginal mucus proteome after use of exogenous hormones in controlled breeding programs, which are commonly used on farm and also in a research setting.

Oestrus synchronisation and superovulation alter the production and biochemical constituents of ovine cervicovaginal mucus.

Controlled breeding programmes utilising exogenous hormones are common in the Australian sheep industry, however the effects of such programmes on cervicovaginal mucus properties are lacking. As such, the aim of this study was to investigate cervicovaginal (CV) mucus from naturally cycling (NAT), progesterone synchronised (P4), prostaglandin synchronised (PGF2α), and superovulated (SOV) Merino ewes. Experiment 1; volume, colour, spinnbarkeit, chemical profile and protein concentration of mucus (NAT, P4, PGF2α and SOV; n=5 ewes/treatment) during the follicular (5 d) and luteal phases (8 d) was investigated. Experiment 2; in vivo mucus pH and in vitro mucus penetration by frozen-thawed spermatozoa (NAT, P4 and SOV; n=11 ewes/treatment) was investigated over oestrus (2 d) and the mid-luteal phase (pH only, 2 d). Oestrus mucus was more abundant, clearer in colour and less proteinaceous than luteal phase mucus (p<0.05). SOV increased mucus production and protein concentration (p<0.05) while PGF2α reduced mucus volume (p<0.05). Mucus pH (oestrus 6.2-6.5), chemical profile and mucus penetration by sperm were unchanged (p>0.05). Results indicate that exogenous hormones used for controlled breeding affect cervicovaginal mucus production, but few other tested characteristics. Further research is required to explain fertility differences between synchronised and naturally cycling animals following cervical AI.