Abah Kenneth Owoicho, Ligocka-Kowalczyk Zuzanna, Itodo Joy Iyojo, Ameh Grace, Partyka Agnieszka, Nizanski Wojciech
Department of Reproduction and Clinic of Farm Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Plac Grunwaldzki 49, 50‑366, Wroclaw, Poland.
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Federal University Lafia, Lafia, Nasarawa, 950101, Nigeria.
BMC Vet Res. 2025 Mar 26;21(1):204. doi: 10.1186/s12917-025-04652-9.
Accurately predicting male fertility is crucial for the animal breeding industry due to its significant economic implications. Existing literature suggests that mammalian fertility is partially dependent on sperm DNA integrity. However, routine semen analysis often fails to detect DNA damage and does not consistently correlate with field fertility outcomes. While assessing sperm DNA integrity provides valuable biological insights, its role in diagnosing animal infertility remains uncertain.
This meta-analysis evaluated the association between sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) and fertility in farm animals. Comprehensive searches were conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Springer Link Library, with results stratified by animal species and SDF detection methods. Across 30 studies, the overall correlation coefficient (COR) between SDF and male fertility was -0.46 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.54 to -0.37; Z = -8.97; p < 0.001). A significant association was observed in bulls (COR = -0.47; 95% CI: -0.54 to -0.40; Z = -11.13; p < 0.001) and stallions (COR = -0.54; 95% CI: -0.72 to -0.29; Z = -3.83; p < 0.001), whereas no significant relationship was found in boars (COR = -0.19; 95% CI: -0.37 to 0.01; Z = -1.84; p = 0.07). The effect of SDF on male fertility was analyzed in 15 studies, demonstrating significantly higher SDF values in low-fertility animals compared to high-fertility groups (SMD = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.68 to 1.01; Z = 10.07; p < 0.001). This pattern was observed in both bulls (SMD = 1.21; 95% CI: 0.85 to 1.57; Z = 6.59; p < 0.001) and stallions (SMD = 0.64; 95% CI: 0.44 to 0.85; Z = 6.14; p < 0.001) subgroups.
These findings suggest that incorporating SDF assays into breeding soundness evaluations could enhance the accuracy of selecting high-quality breeding males for artificial breeding programs. However, further research with adequately powered studies, standardized methodologies, and appropriate sample sizes is necessary to fully elucidate the impact of elevated SDF on fertility in farm animals.
由于其重大的经济影响，准确预测雄性生育力对动物育种行业至关重要。现有文献表明，哺乳动物的生育力部分取决于精子DNA完整性。然而，常规精液分析往往无法检测到DNA损伤，且与实际生育结果并不总是相关。虽然评估精子DNA完整性能提供有价值的生物学见解，但其在诊断动物不育症中的作用仍不确定。
这项荟萃分析评估了家畜中精子DNA碎片化（SDF）与生育力之间的关联。使用PubMed、谷歌学术和施普林格链接图书馆进行了全面检索，结果按动物种类和SDF检测方法进行分层。在30项研究中，SDF与雄性生育力之间的总体相关系数（COR）为-0.46（95%置信区间[CI]：-0.54至-0.37；Z = -8.97；p < 0.001）。在公牛（COR = -0.47；95% CI：-0.54至-0.40；Z = -11.13；p < 0.001）和种马（COR = -0.54；95% CI：-0.72至-0.29；Z = -3.83；p < 0.001）中观察到显著关联，而在公猪中未发现显著关系（COR = -0.19；95% CI：-0.37至0.01；Z = -1.84；p = 0.07）。在15项研究中分析了SDF对雄性生育力的影响，结果表明低生育力动物的SDF值显著高于高生育力组（标准化均数差[SMD] = 0.85；95% CI：0.68至1.01；Z = 10.07；p < 0.001）。在公牛（SMD = 1.21；95% CI：0.85至1.57；Z = 6.59；p < 0.001）和种马（SMD = 0.64；95% CI：0.44至0.85；Z = 6.14；p < 0.001）亚组中均观察到这种模式。
这些发现表明，将SDF检测纳入繁殖健全性评估可以提高为人工授精计划选择优质种公畜的准确性。然而，需要进行有足够统计学效力的研究、采用标准化方法和合适样本量的进一步研究，以充分阐明SDF升高对家畜生育力的影响。
