Open Access

Inhibitory effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on sperm damage during cryopreservation

  • Authors:
    • Bei Yan
    • Xinzong Zhang
    • Juan Wang
    • Shaotong Jia
    • Yue Zhou
    • Jia Tian
    • Hongyan Wang
    • Yunge Tang
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: July 28, 2020     https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2020.9060
  • Pages: 3051-3063
  • Copyright: © Yan et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )
Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )


Abstract

With the development of cryopreservation technology, marked progress has been made regarding sperm cryopreservation. However, as conventional cryopreservation agents are not effective at freezing weak sperm, improved cryopreservation agents are in demand. In the present study, the addition of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides to glycerol‑egg‑yolk‑citrate sperm cryopreservation agent was determined to improve sperm forward speed, reduce the DNA fragmentation index and improve the mitochondrial membrane potential. Furthermore, during the freezing and thawing of sperm, the improved cryopreservative increased the content of Bcl‑2 while reducing the content of Bax, cytochrome C and caspase‑3. These results indicated that polysaccharides added as a protective agent preserved the normal function of sperm mitochondria. Transmission electron microscopy also confirmed the protective effect of the polysaccharides on the structure of mitochondria. It was also indicated that improved cryopreservative lowered the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during the freeze‑thawing process. Therefore, it is hypothesized that improved cryopreservative agents may be beneficial for maintaining the structure and function of the mitochondria of weak sperm when cryopreserved, which may be facilitated via reducing the production of ROS in the freezing‑thawing process, thus avoiding activation of the apoptotic pathway in sperm mitochondria and protecting mitochondrial structure and sperm function.
View Figures
View References

Related Articles

Journal Cover

October-2020
Volume 20 Issue 4

Print ISSN: 1792-0981
Online ISSN:1792-1015

Sign up for eToc alerts

Recommend to Library

Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Yan B, Zhang X, Wang J, Jia S, Zhou Y, Tian J, Wang H and Tang Y: Inhibitory effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on sperm damage during cryopreservation. Exp Ther Med 20: 3051-3063, 2020
APA
Yan, B., Zhang, X., Wang, J., Jia, S., Zhou, Y., Tian, J. ... Tang, Y. (2020). Inhibitory effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on sperm damage during cryopreservation. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 20, 3051-3063. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2020.9060
MLA
Yan, B., Zhang, X., Wang, J., Jia, S., Zhou, Y., Tian, J., Wang, H., Tang, Y."Inhibitory effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on sperm damage during cryopreservation". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 20.4 (2020): 3051-3063.
Chicago
Yan, B., Zhang, X., Wang, J., Jia, S., Zhou, Y., Tian, J., Wang, H., Tang, Y."Inhibitory effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on sperm damage during cryopreservation". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 20, no. 4 (2020): 3051-3063. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2020.9060