The aim of this study was to examine the biochemical components and the parameters of antioxidant protection in the seminal plasma (SP) of boars, as well as their relationship with semen quality parameters. Thirty-six boars were included in the study, whose ejaculates were divided into two groups: Group I (good quality semen, > 70% progressively motile sperm, < 20% spermatozoa with abnormal morphology, n = 16), and Group II (poor quality semen, < 70% progressively motile sperm, > 20% spermatozoa with abnormal morphology, n = 20). Significantly higher concentrations of ionized calcium (iCa), total cholesterol (TC), lactate-dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, as well as significantly higher values of antioxidant protection parameters: thiol groups (-SH), paraoxonase 1 (PON1), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) ) were found in the good quality semen, while higher phosphorus (P) concentrations and increased alkaline-phosphatase (ALP) activity were found in the semen of poor quality. A negative correlation of total and progressive sperm motility with P and ALP was found in all examined semen samples, while a positive correlation was found with PON1 and TAC. The percentage of fast sperm cells positively correlated with iCa, chlorine (Cl), lactate, LDH and TAC, while a negative correlation was found with P, magnesium (Mg) and the enzyme creatine-kinase (CK). The percentage of immobile sperm positively correlated with P and ALP, and negatively correlated with TC, CK, PON1 and TAC. Elevated values of PON1 and TAC in SP and a positive correlation with sperm motility indicate the possible use of these parameters as sensitive biomarkers of boar semen quality. To the best of our knowledge there are no published data on association between PON1 activity and boar semen quality.
Keywords: Antioxidant protection; Boars; CASA; PON1; Seminal plasma.
© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.