Journal of Andrology
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Published-Ahead-of-Print August 27, 2009, DOI:10.2164/jandrol.109.007583
Journal of Andrology, Vol. 31, No. 2, March/April 2010
Copyright © American Society of Andrology
DOI: 10.2164/jandrol.109.007583

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Seminal Plasma Proteins as Potential Markers of Relative Fertility in Boars

SUSAN NOVAK*, ANA RUIZ-SÁNCHEZ*, WALTER T. DIXON, GEORGE R. FOXCROFT AND MICHAEL K. DYCK

From the Swine Reproduction-Development Program, 4-10 Ag/For Centre, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Correspondence to: Dr Michael Dyck, 4-10 Ag/For Centre, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P5, Canada (e-mail: michael.dyck{at}ualberta.ca).


This study investigated whether specific proteins from distinct seminal plasma fractions of boars could be related to in vivo fertility. Nine boars with acceptable sperm motility and morphology for use in artificial insemination demonstrated major differences in total number born and pregnancy rate when low sperm doses (1.5 billion sperm) were used to breed a minimum of 50 gilts per boar. The 2 lowest-fertility and 2 highest-fertility boars were chosen for evaluation of specific seminal plasma proteins. On 4 occasions, semen was collected and separated into 3 fractions based on sperm concentration (Sperm-Peak, Sperm-Rich, and Sperm-Free), and the fractions were analyzed for total protein concentration and abundance of major seminal plasma glycoprotein (PSP-I), AWN-1, and osteopontin protein using Western blotting techniques. The concentrations of these seminal plasma proteins were lower in the Sperm-Peak fractions compared with the Sperm-Free fractions (P < .05). Seminal plasma from the pooled Sperm-Rich fraction used for artificial insemination was also subjected to two-dimensional gel electrophoresis to investigate novel protein markers related to in vivo fertility. Total piglets born (r = –0.76, P = .01) and sperm motility at day 7 (r = –0.74, P = .037) were again negatively correlated with a 22-kDa protein identified by mass spectrometry as PSP-I. However, fertility index and farrowing rate tended to be positively correlated (P < .10) with a 25-kDa protein, identified as glutathione peroxidase (GPX5), an antioxidant enzyme that may protect sperm membranes from oxidative damage. These candidate proteins merit further investigation as markers of fertility in boars.

     Key words: Male fertility, artificial insemination, semen, pig, 2-D gel electrophoresis, tandem mass spectrometry






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