242 PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF VITAMIN E TREATMENT IN HEAT-STRESSED BOS TAURUS BULLS

Abstract

Bos taurus bulls, when raised under tropical conditions, are highly susceptible to heat stress, which leads to impaired semen quality, leading to significant economical losses because, in these regions, the reproductive mounting season occurs mainly during the summer. Previous studies have indicated that oxidative stress (i.e. attack by reactive oxygen species) may be the main mechanism of sperm damage in such conditions. Therefore, treatment with antioxidants may be an important alternative to improve semen quality in heat-stressed B. taurus bulls. The objective of the present study was to evaluate whether the treatment with vitamin E, an important antioxidant, could improve sperm quality in insulated bulls. Towards this aim, eight adult Holstein bulls were submitted for semen collection, and the sperm was submitted for motility evaluation by computer-assisted sperm analysis (Ivos, Hamilton Thorne Inc., Beverly, MA, USA), examination of membrane and acrosomal integrity (eosin/nigrosin and fast green/bengal rose stain, respectively), mitochondrial activity (diaminobenzidine stain; full mitochondrial activity or no mitochondrial activity), and sperm susceptibility to oxidative stress (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances). Bulls were then insulated (testicles covered in a thermal bag for 3 days) and randomly assigned to two treatment groups: no vitamin E (placebo) and vitamin E (subcutaneous injection of 3000 IU of α-tocopherol each of 10 days). Subsequent semen analysis was performed 1 and 60 days after the insulation. Statistical analysis was performed with SAS (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA) repeated-measures ANOVA, and significance of P < 0.05 was adopted. No differences were found on any of the variables before insulation. One day after insulation, animals treated with vitamin E showed a lower percentage of static sperm and a higher percentage of motile sperm when compared with animals treated with the placebo (28 and 63% v. 56 and 34%, respectively; P < 0.05). Also at this time, sperm susceptibility to oxidative stress was lower in animals treated with vitamin E (vitamin E: 410 ng/10⁶ sperm; no vitamin E: 1760 ng/10⁶ sperm; P < 0.05). Sixty days after insulation, sperm susceptibility to oxidative stress was still lower in animals treated with vitamin E when compared with the placebo group (1176 and 192 ng/10⁶ sperm, respectively; P < 0.05). However, no differences were found on the other variables. Results indicate that vitamin E, an antioxidant whose main function is protection of the plasma membrane, may be an alternative to avoid the acute deleterious effects of the heat stress in B. taurus bulls raised under tropical conditions. In addition, even with no heat stress involved, vitamin E treatment may provide constant protection, increasing the resistance of the sperm against the reactive oxygen species.