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Characterization of equine sperm attributes and selection for intracytoplasmic sperm injection

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dc.contributor.authorGonzalez-Castro, Raul A., author
dc.contributor.authorCarnevale, Elaine, advisor
dc.contributor.authorGraham, James, advisor
dc.contributor.authorSeidel, George, committee member
dc.contributor.authorGerrit, Bouma, committee member
dc.contributor.authorAnn, Hess, committee member
dc.date.accessioned2018-09-10T20:05:28Z
dc.date.available2018-09-10T20:05:28Z
dc.date.issued2018
dc.description.abstractWhen performing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), many in vivo mechanisms for sperm selection are bypassed; however, sperm must still be capable of activating the oocyte for successful fertilization. Limited information is available for horses on the effect of sperm preparation method and sperm characteristics that affect ICSI outcome. The overall objectives of this dissertation were to: 1) study the association between sperm sorting methods, sperm population characteristics, and equine ICSI outcome, and 2) characterize sperm oocyte activating factors in stallion sperm, such as phospholipase C zeta (PLCz) and postacrosomal WW binding protein (PAWP). In Experiment 1, a microfluidic device was used to sort frozen-thawed sperm from stallions (n=19), which resulted in a sperm subpopulation with improved motility, morphology, viability and DNA integrity (P<0.05) compared to the original sample. Then, microfluidic sorting was compared with the swim-up procedure and density gradient centrifugation. Swim-up was the least effective method to separate equine sperm. Microfluidic sorting and density gradient centrifugation sorted a sperm subpopulation with similar parameters, improving motility, viability and DNA integrity. After ICSI (n=45), no differences (P>0.3) were observed for cleavage and embryo development among sorting methods. In Experiment 2, sperm population parameters from which individual sperm were selected for injection were analyzed immediately after ICSI and correlated with the outcome. Sperm morphology, viability, membrane integrity measurement of hypoosmotic swelling and DNA integrity were evaluated in frozen-thawed sperm (n=114) used for ICSI in a program. Among sperm parameters, viability correlated positively with normal morphology and membrane integrity (P<0.05). Normal sperm morphology and DNA integrity were not predictive of ICSI outcome. Viability was predictive of cleavage and blastocyst formation, and membrane integrity was predictive of early pregnancy (P<0.05). In Experiment 3, PLCz and PAWP were identified, localized and quantified in stallion sperm, and the relationship with other sperm parameters was investigated. PLCz was identified as a 71 kDa protein and located in the acrosomal and postacrosomal region, midpiece and principal piece of the tail. PAWP was identified by two bands of ~28 and ~32 kDa, located in the postacrosomal region, midpiece and principal piece of the tail. The expression of PLCz and PAWP correlated positively (P=0.04) when analyzed for sperm of 14 stallions. Flow cytometric assessment was feasible for PLCz, but not for PAWP. Expression and percentages of positive labeled sperm for PLCz varied among stallions (n=21). Expression of PLCz was higher in live than dead sperm (P<0.005), and DNA fragmentation correlated negatively with PLCz expression (P<0.04). In conclusion, microfluidic sorting and density gradient centrifugation resulted in a subpopulation of sperm with high quality parameters for ICSI. The probability of sperm-injected oocytes to develop into an embryo and to establish pregnancy improved when sperm were selected from a sample population with higher viability and membrane integrity. This is the first report that describes PAWP in equine sperm, which displayed a novel localization in the midpiece and principal piece of sperm tail in addition to the expected postacrosomal region. Protein levels of PLCz and PAWP were correlated in sperm heads. The expression of PLCz in sperm varied widely among stallions and was associated with DNA integrity. Sperm membrane integrity is indicative of well-maintained plasma membrane architecture, conserving sperm quality and membrane components that are required for oocyte activation and early embryo development. Assessment of PLCz in stallion sperm represents a potent feature to investigate sperm quality for equine ICSI, and potentially can serve as a prognostic biomarker for oocyte activation ability and male infertility. Further studies are needed to determine the relationship between PLCz and PAWP with fertility in horses.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediumdoctoral dissertations
dc.identifierGonzalezCastro_colostate_0053A_15040.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10217/191446
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartof2000-2019
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.subjectmicrofluidics
dc.subjectPLC zeta
dc.subjectstallion
dc.subjectPAWP
dc.subjectICSI
dc.subjectsperm
dc.titleCharacterization of equine sperm attributes and selection for intracytoplasmic sperm injection
dc.typeText
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplineBiomedical Sciences
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelDoctoral
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

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