Effect of Trehalose and Erythritol on Post-thawed Miniature Pig Sperm

Abstract

Our objective was to evaluate the function of treahlose and erythritol in reducing reactive oxygen species concentrations, which is associated with a general improvement in the quality of frozen-thawing miniature pig sperm. Semen was mixed in modified Modena B extender, added to cooling media and freezing media, followed by the supplement of 100 mM trehalose and/or 100 mM erythritol with spermatozoa. The trehalose plus erythritol (TE) added group had less intracellular H2O2 than did control and trehalose (p<0.05). The percentage of viable acrosome-intact sperm (FITC-PNA-/PI-) was higher in erythritol and TE than controls (p<0.05 and p<0.001). The percentage of sperm with high fragmented DNA was observed in control group when compared with erythritol and TE also trehalose (p<0.001). The percentage of sperm lipid peroxidation was higher in control and trehalose than erythritol (p<0.01 and p<0.001), and was lowest in the TE (control and trehalose vs. TE: p<0.001, erythritol vs. TE: p<0.05). In conclusion, miniature pig sperm was successfully cryopreserved with trehalose plus erythritol provided the increasing the sperm quality and reducing the ROS.