Jalal Morteza Pashaei, Mehdipour Mahdieh, Sharifi Seyed Davood, Farhadi Ramin
Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Technologies, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Department of Agriculture, Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST), Tehran, Iran.
Poult Sci. 2025 May 26;104(9):105345. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2025.105345.
Cryopreservation is a key method for conservation of poultry genetic resources but cryopreserved spermatozoa are highly sensitive to oxidative stress and cell damage induced by the freeze-thaw cycle. In this study, the effects of Thymus vulgaris extract addition in the cryopreservation extender on rooster sperm post-thaw quality were evaluated. Semen samples were cryopreserved in the presence of Thymus vulgaris extract at 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 μg/mL, and post-thaw analysis involved motility, membrane integrity, mitochondrial activity, viability, apoptosis, and oxidative stress markers. The results showed that the 30 μg/mL concentration significantly improved total motility (60.13 ± 0.70 %) and progressive motility (24.76 ± 0.75 %) when compared with the control group (42.78 ± 1.97 % and 18.15 ± 0.71 %, respectively; P < 0.05). Integrity of the plasma membrane (57.23 ± 1.49 %) and mitochondrial function (110.35 ± 3.24 ATP content) were also improved, while apoptotic sperm rates (14.40 ± 1.68 %) and reactive oxygen species levels (2.50 ± 0.06) were significantly lower. In contrast, higher concentrations (90 and 120 μg/mL) exerted a negative effect, leading to compromised motility, elevated apoptosis, and mitochondrial dysfunction. The findings suggest that Thymus vulgaris extract at an optimal concentration improves sperm cryotolerance through the alleviation of oxidative stress and the stabilization of membrane and mitochondrial integrity. The results provide strong evidence for the application of natural antioxidants in avian sperm cryopreservation.
冷冻保存是家禽遗传资源保存的关键方法，但冷冻保存的精子对冻融循环诱导的氧化应激和细胞损伤高度敏感。在本研究中，评估了在冷冻保存稀释液中添加百里香提取物对公鸡解冻后精子质量的影响。精液样本在存在0、30、60、90和120μg/mL百里香提取物的情况下进行冷冻保存，解冻后分析包括活力、膜完整性、线粒体活性、存活率、凋亡和氧化应激标志物。结果表明，与对照组（分别为42.78±1.97%和18.15±0.71%；P<0.05）相比，30μg/mL浓度显著提高了总活力（60.13±0.70%）和前进活力（24.76±0.75%）。质膜完整性（57.23±1.49%）和线粒体功能（110.35±3.24 ATP含量）也得到改善，而凋亡精子率（14.40±1.68%）和活性氧水平（2.50±0.06）显著降低。相比之下，较高浓度（90和120μg/mL）产生负面影响，导致活力受损、凋亡增加和线粒体功能障碍。研究结果表明，最佳浓度的百里香提取物通过减轻氧化应激以及稳定膜和线粒体完整性来提高精子冷冻耐受性。这些结果为天然抗氧化剂在禽类精子冷冻保存中的应用提供了有力证据。
