Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Campus Macchia Romana, 85100, Potenza, Italy.
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Loc. Piano d'Accio, 64100, Teramo, Italy.
Sci Rep. 2021 Oct 15;11(1):20551. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-99972-9.
Seminal plasma (SP) of donkey stallions was evaluated using various oxidative stress parameters as well as protease and protease inhibitor activities. SP was obtained by nine donkey stallions. In addition, one donkey stallion with non-obstructive azoospermia was enrolled in this study. Free radical scavenging activity (FRSA), the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and total thiol level (TTL) were highly correlated with each other and with the protease inhibitor activity. However, only FRAP, TAC, and the nitrate/nitrite concentration (NO) were significantly correlated with sperm concentration, production, and kinetics. Protease inhibitor activity was highly correlated with sperm concentration and production; however, it did not correlate with sperm kinetics. The azoospermic stallion produced a lower amount of semen than the normospermic stallions and its SP showed a lower antioxidant activity when evaluated with FRAP, TAC, and TTL as well as a higher NO and a lower protease inhibitor activity. In conclusion, the evaluation of SP oxidative profile by FRAP, TAC, and NO may provide reliable information on donkey sperm quality whereas protease inhibitor activity may play a role as a marker of the sperm concentration in this species.
使用各种氧化应激参数以及蛋白酶和蛋白酶抑制剂活性评估了公驴精液。本研究从 9 匹公驴中获得了精液。此外，还招募了 1 匹患有非阻塞性无精症的公驴。自由基清除活性（FRSA）、血浆铁还原能力（FRAP）、总抗氧化能力（TAC）和总巯基水平（TTL）之间高度相关，与蛋白酶抑制剂活性也高度相关。然而，只有 FRAP、TAC 和硝酸盐/亚硝酸盐浓度（NO）与精子浓度、生成和动力学显著相关。蛋白酶抑制剂活性与精子浓度和生成高度相关；然而，与精子动力学无关。无精症公驴产生的精液量低于正常公驴，其 SP 在 FRAP、TAC 和 TTL 评估以及较高的 NO 和较低的蛋白酶抑制剂活性方面表现出较低的抗氧化活性。总之，通过 FRAP、TAC 和 NO 评估 SP 的氧化谱可能为驴精子质量提供可靠信息，而蛋白酶抑制剂活性可能在该物种的精子浓度方面发挥作用。
