Cadmium as an etiology of sperm dysfunction in Holstein bulls

Document Type : Full paper (Original article)

Author

Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, University of Shahrekord, Shahrekord, Iran

Abstract

Oxidative stress has been identified as a crucial factor leading to male infertility largely due to peroxidative
damage to the sperm cell membrane. Cadmium (Cd) is a widespread environmental pollutant and one
of the well-known reproductive toxicants. Because of its long biological half-life (10–30 years), Cd
accumulates in the biological systems. The present study was designed to assess the concentration-dependent in vitro effect of 20 to 700 μM of Cd on the membrane integrity, motility, and acrosomal status of Holstein bull spermatozoa. We recorded a significant elevation in the malondialdehyde (MDA) level, increased lipid peroxidation (LPO) rate and a drastic decrease in the spermatocrit values, especially at the 700 μM concentration of Cd, indicating deleterious effects of Cd on the intactness of the sperm membrane. There was also a negative correlation between the LPO rate and both the percentage of motile spermatozoa (r = -0.89) and sperm viability (r = -0.86). Performing the gelatin test indicated that Cd altered the integrity of acrosomal membranes and showed an abnormal acrosome reaction. In this regard, a reverse correlation was found between the LPO rate and the percentage of halos (r = -0.96). In conclusion, Cd was proved to be a potential toxicant in the category of environmental factors that induced membrane impairments, lowered motility and viability, and decreased rate of acrosome reactions leading to bull sperm dysfunction.

Keywords

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics