Abstract

DNA FRAGMENTATION INDUCTION USING HYDROGEN PEROXIDE-A COMPARATIVE IN VITRO STUDY ON SEMEN FROM DAIRY AND BEEF BULL

*Sabina Valeanu, Drugociu Dan, Petru Rosca

Abstract

Aim of study: to investigate the extent to which spermatozoa from two different breed bulls showed a different sensitivity to oxidative stress consecutive hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) treatment. Material and methods: the DNA fragmentation index was determined using the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA), which assesses the susceptibility of sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to acid-induced denaturation using the metachromatic dye acridine orange (AO). Three different experiments were performed for each of two bulls, the mean±SD being determined. Results: the spermatozoa incubated for 6 hours, revealed a dose-dependent increase in the DNA lesions expressed as DNA fragmentation index (DFI%), significant from a concentration of 150 mM, p≤0.03 for beef bulls and p≤0.01 for dairy bulls. The highest percent of spermatozoa with damaged DNA, 20.58% (mean±SD) for dairy bull respectively 21.97% (mean±SD) for beef bull was obtain after the treatment with 300 mM H2O2 and incubation for 6 hours. Conclusions: Dairy bull spermatozoa seem to be more sensitive to DNA fragmentation induction using H2O2 comparative with beef bull spermatozoa.

Keywords: DNA fragmentation; bull; SCSA, hydrogen peroxide.