Reproduction Abstracts

Introduction: Marker genes for evaluating sperm fertility have been developed during a few decades in various species. The CYP19A1/Cyp19a1 has been considered to one of the most common factor related to sperm quality regardless to species. In our previous report, CYP19A1 mRNA quantity was suggested to sperm fertility marker in pig. So, in this study, we examined whether CYP19A1 level and activity are related to sperm fertility to confirm importance of CYP19A1 in porcine sperm.

Materials and methods: First, to confirm the relation between CYP19A1 level and sperm fertility, one ejaculate was divided into two fractions by density and they independently assessed to IVF to measure the rate of sperm penetration and embryo cleavage, and western blot to evaluate CYP19A1 level respectively. Obtained results with those fractions were compared each other. Second, for the analysis of sperm fertility following CYP19A1 activity, CYP19A1 inhibitor, exemestane, was treated with concentrations that have no effect on porcine sperm viability. Inhibitor treated sperms were assessed to IVF for evaluation of their fertility.

Results and discussion: Separated sperm fractions showed that low density sperm population contained significantly high penetrate rate (P<0.05) but not in the embryo cleavage rate and CYP19A1 level than high density fraction. CYP19A1 inhibitor treatment significantly reduced sperm fertility (P<0.05). In conclusion, CYP19A1 contributes to penetration capacity and fertility of porcine sperm. Density of sperm has difference in penetration capacity of sperm, but not in CYP19A1 quantity.

This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (NRF-2012R1A1A2006276) and Next BioGreen 21 program (PJ009493), Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.