HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Cheminade, C. Articles by B. Legrand, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cheminade, C. Articles by B. Legrand, A. Agricola Articles by Cheminade, C. Articles by B. Legrand, A.

1-O-Alkylglycerols Improve Boar Sperm Motility and Fertility¹

^a Laboratoire de Pharmacologie Moléculaire, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Rennes I, 35043 Rennes, France ^b Centre Technique ID-MER, 56100 Lorient, France ^c CECOS de l'Ouest, 35000 Rennes, France

1-O-Alkylglycerols are naturally occurring ether lipids with potent biological activities. They may interfere with lipidic signaling, and they amplify platelet-activating factor (PAF) biosynthesis in a monocyte cell line. The PAF is produced by mammalian sperm and is an important activator of sperm motility. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of in vitro treatment of boar spermatozoa with natural 1-O-alkylglycerols (10 µM) on 1) boar sperm motility; 2) production of PAF and its metabolite, lyso-PAF, by spermatozoa; and 3) fertility in artificial inseminations of breeding sows. Using a computer-assisted spermatozoa analyzer, we found that 1-O-alkylglycerols increased percentage motility as well as velocity parameters after 24 h. These effects were partially or totally reversed by the PAF receptor-antagonist SR 27417. After [³H]-1-O-alkylglycerol incubation with boar spermatozoa, we identified [³H]lyso-PAF by high-performance liquid chromatography. Production of PAF and lyso-PAF was measured with a biological assay using [³H]serotonin release from rabbit platelets. 1-O-Alkylglycerols significantly increased lyso-PAF production but had no effect on PAF production. The effect of 1-O-alkylglycerols on fertilization was also evaluated in industrial breedings: 1-O-alkylglycerol-treated or untreated semen dilutions were alternately used for artificial inseminations of sows on 12 farms. 1-O-Alkylglycerol treatment increased the number of farrows but had no effect on the mean size of the litters. This study demonstrates that 1-O-alkylglycerol treatment of boar spermatozoa in vitro improves their motility and fertility, and it suggests that this effect is related to PAF metabolism and function in boar spermatozoa.

First decision: 23 May 2001.

¹ Supported by "Conseil Régional de Bretagne." Applications are covered by patent WO 98/00120.

² Correspondence: Alain Legrand, Laboratoire de Pharmacologie Moléculaire, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Rennes I, 2 Av du Pr Léon Bernard, 35043 Rennes, France. FAX: 33 2 23 23 49 75; alain.legrand{at}univ-rennes1.fr

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Zhu, N. L. Brackett, T. C. Aballa, C. M. Lynne, M. A. Witt, H. I. Kort, and W. E. Roudebush High Seminal Platelet-Activating Factor Acetylhydrolase Activity in Men With Spinal Cord Injury J Androl, May 1, 2006; 27(3): 429 - 433. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Nayernia, F. Vauti, A. Meinhardt, C. Cadenas, S. Schweyer, B. I. Meyer, I. Schwandt, K. Chowdhury, W. Engel, and H.-H. Arnold Inactivation of a Testis-specific Lis1 Transcript in Mice Prevents Spermatid Differentiation and Causes Male Infertility J. Biol. Chem., November 28, 2003; 278(48): 48377 - 48385. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Yan, A. H. Assadi, A. Wynshaw-Boris, G. Eichele, M. M. Matzuk, and G. D. Clark Previously uncharacterized roles of platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase 1b complex in mouse spermatogenesis PNAS, June 10, 2003; 100(12): 7189 - 7194. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]