Influence of Seminal Plasma Antioxidants and Osteopontin on Fertility of the Arabian Horse

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2012.11.006
• Publication Date: 2013-03-17T00:46:16Z
• Authors: M.M. Waheed; S.M. El-Bahr; A.K. Al-haider
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine

This study was designed to investigate enzymatic antioxidants’ activity and nonenzymatic antioxidants’ levels in seminal plasma of stallions and to relate them with season, age, and fertility of stallions. Fifty ejaculates were collected from six healthy Arabian stallions, 4-22 years old. Ejaculates were evaluated by conventional methods. Five milliliters of each semen sample was centrifuged, and the supernatant seminal plasma was stored at −20°C. Five antioxidants, in addition to osteopontin (OPN) and testosterone, were determined in stallion seminal plasma by using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Results revealed that uric acid, ascorbic acid, OPN, and testosterone concentrations and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in stallions’ seminal plasma were high (P 70%) than in fertility group I (<50%). However, ascorbic acid concentration, catalase activity and percentage of sperm abnormalities were lower (P < .05) in fertility group III than in fertility group I. It was concluded that season and stallion age may affect antioxidant defense systems in stallions’ seminal plasma. The impairment of seminal antioxidants and OPN could lead to low fertility.