1. Academic Validation
  2. Metformin improves boar sperm quality via 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase-mediated energy metabolism in vitro

Metformin improves boar sperm quality via 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase-mediated energy metabolism in vitro

  • Zool Res. 2020 Sep 18;41(5):527-538. doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.074.
Rong-Nan Li 1 Zhen-Dong Zhu 1 Yi Zheng 1 Ying-Hua Lv 1 Xiu-E Tian 1 De Wu 2 Yong-Jun Wang 3 Wen-Xian Zeng 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
  • 2 Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition of the Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611100, China.
  • 3 Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China. E-mail: dkxywyj@163.com.
  • 4 Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China. E-mail: zengwenxian2015@126.com.
Abstract

Sperm are specialized cells that require adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to support their function. Maintaining sperm energy homeostasis in vitro is vitally important to improve the efficacy of boar sperm preservation. Metformin can activate 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) to improve metabolic flexibility and maintain energy homeostasis. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether metformin can improve boar sperm quality through AMPK mediation of energy metabolism. Sperm motility parameters, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ m), ATP content, glucose uptake, and lactate efflux were analyzed. Localization and expression levels of AMPK and phospho-Thr 172-AMPK (p-AMPK) were also detected by immunofluorescence and western blotting. We found that metformin treatment significantly increased sperm motility parameters, ΔΨ m, and ATP content during storage at 17 °C. Moreover, results showed that AMPK was localized at the acrosomal region, connecting piece, and midpiece of sperm and p-AMPK was distributed at the post-acrosomal region, connecting piece, and midpiece. When sperm were incubated with metformin for 4 h at 37 °C, sperm motility parameters, ΔΨ m, ATP content, p-AMPK, glucose uptake, and lactate efflux all significantly increased, whereas the addition of Compound C treatment, an inhibitor of AMPK, counteracted these positive effects. Together, our results suggest that metformin promotes AMPK activation, which contributes to the maintenance of energy hemostasis and mitochondrial activity, thereby maintaining boar sperm functionality and improving the efficacy of semen preservation.

Keywords

AMPK; Energy metabolism; Glycolysis; Metformin; Sperm.

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