Sperm quality and cryopreservation in teleosteffect of seminal plasma component and climate change

Laburpena

The selection of high-quality gametes is an essential requirement to take into account in assisted reproduction programs. The development of biotechnological tools such as cryopreservation of gametes plays an important role in aquaculture production and in the formation of germplasm banks, which will later contribute to the genetic improvement of fish populations, mainly those in danger and that could be more affected by future climate changes. In the first phase of this thesis carried out at Unesp, we worked with a neotropical species of high economic importance for the South American region. The second phase carried out at the UPV worked with the European Eel (Anguilla anguilla), a species classified on the (IUCN) Red List as a "critically endangered" species. In the first phase, we sought to characterize the biochemical composition of the plasma and the seminal characteristics of the species to evaluate the possible relationships between these parameters. The seminal plasma was mainly composed of sodium ions (Na+) and within the organic components, total proteins and glucose stood out. Through principal component analysis (PCA) it was observed that motility had a strong positive correlation with motility time, sperm concentration and total proteins. These analyzes served as the basis for the creation of a diluent solution later used in the cryoprotective substance. Then the influence of seminal plasma as a constituent of the cryoprotectant solution in the cryopreservation of P. reticulatum semen was determined. Three treatments were used: 5% glucose + 10% methanol (T1), 30% natural seminal plasma (T2) and 30% artificial seminal plasma were added to this cryoprotectant based on the results of the determined biochemical components of the plasma. for the species in the previous experiment (T3). Parameters of sperm motility, fertilizing capacity of cryopreserved semen, as well as DNA fragmentation were evaluated. Treatment T1 resulted with the best motility values followed by T2, and the fertilizing capacity of these two treatments was similar to the control, however, treatment T2 showed less DNA damage. Using PCA, it was shown that T1 had a better positive relationship with fertility and total and progressive motility. Finally, we evaluated the structures of the sperm subpopulations in each of the treatments used. Through two-stage multivariate analysis, it was possible to determine three sperm subpopulations in the cryopreserved semen of the species, SP1 (fast-linear), SP2 (fast-nonlinear) and SP3 (slow-linear). T1 presented the highest percentage of SP1, being confirmed by the effectiveness in protecting the cells of this treatment in the cryopreservation process of the species. In the second phase that is being carried out at the UPV, the general objective was to determine the effect of temperature and pH of seawater on sperm motility in the European Eel. It was determined that the low pH of seawater (6.5-7.4) decreased the motility of eel sperm compared to the control (pH= 8.2). When we studied the combined effect of the pH of the artificial seminal plasma and the pH of ASW (7.8 and 8.2), we did not find statistical differences in the motility and kinetics of the sperm in relation to the pH of the artificial seminal plasma, but we did find the pH of the water of sea Higher values of total motility (MOT), FA (fast) and ME (medium) were found at a pH of 8.2 than at a pH of 7.8. In contrast, seawater temperature did not affect sperm motility parameters or sperm longevity in the context of climate change.