Motility and oxidative stress of common carp Cyprinus carpio sperm during short-term storage

Short-term storage of semen is a simple and inexpensive procedure to deal with logistics of large-scale hatchery operations but can lead to oxidative stress and a significant decrease in sperm motility and velocity. To better understand the mechanisms responsible for the association of poor sperm quality with oxidative stress, in the present study we investigated the effect of refrigerated storage for 0, 24, 48, 72, and 144 h on sperm motility and curvilinear velocity and oxidant/antioxidant balance of common carp Cyprinus carpio. Percentage of motile sperm was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced stored for 72 h storage compared to that of fresh sperm. Sperm stored 144 h showed < 40% motility with an average velocity of 91.12 +/- 10.4 mu m s(-1). A time dependent increase in the level of the oxidative stress indices lipid peroxidation and carbonyl derivatives of proteins was observed. Increase (p > 0.05) in total superoxide dismutase was detected after 48 h, and glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase activity demonstrated a significant increase after 72 h. These results provide an additional tool for the development and improvement of short-term sperm preservation procedures commonly applied in aquaculture.

Automated summary

This study investigated the effects of refrigerated storage on sperm quality and oxidative stress in common carp. After 72 hours of storage, sperm motility significantly decreased, and after 144 hours, sperm motility was less than 40%. The levels of lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl derivatives, indicators of oxidative stress, increased over time.