Protective Effects of Trehalose and Pentoxifylline on Goat Sperm Exposed to Chilling-Freezing Process

Abstract

Freezing of sperm is known as an important part of assisted reproduction. However, many studies have illustrated that cryopreservation negatively affects the quality and fertility rate of sperm. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of trehalose and pentoxifylline (PTX) in diluents on cooled and frozen-thawed Markhoz goat sperm. Preassessed samples were pooled and diluted with a basic diluent using trehalose and PTX. The cooled sperm showed significant improvement. The motion characteristics of cryopreserved sperm were evaluated based on computer-assisted system analysis. In this study, we investigated the viability, membrane integrity, malondialdehyde concentration, total abnormality, acrosome integrity, and seminal hyaluronidase enzyme. Also, the hypo-osmotic swelling test, mitochondrial activity, apoptotic features, caspase activity, chromatin dispersion test, active mitochondria, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) activity were assessed as complementary parameters. The data illustrate that the total motility, progressive motility, average path velocity (VAP), straight-line velocity (VSL), curvilinear velocity (VCL), and the ratio of sperm chromatin dispersion, viable sperm were improved significantly (p < 0.05) using 3 mM PTX alone or 3 mM PTX plus 50 mM trehalose, while other characteristics indicate significant enhancement by 3 and 6 mM PTX and 50 and 70 mM trehalose alone or in combination, except amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH), beat/cross frequency (BCF), and intracellular ROS-(O⁻), which demonstrate no significant difference among treatments. In conclusion, this study indicates that addition of 3 and 6 mM PTX alone or with 50 and 70 mM trehalose seems to reduce the damage caused by cooling and cryopreservation processes.