Impacts of Specific Cryoprotectants on Sperm Freezing and Relationships Between Cryodamage and Oxidation Stress Parameters in Awassi Ram Sperm.

BACKGROUND The role of oxidative stress during cryoprotectant treatment has received little attention. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of different cryoprotectants and discover relationships between cryodamage and oxidative stress parameters on Awassi ram sperm. MATERIALS AND METHODS The sperm samples diluted with Salamon's tris-citrate (TRIS) containing 20% centrifuged egg yolk and 0.5, 1.0 or 1.5 M Glycerol (Gly), methanol (M), 2-methoxyethanol (2-ME), dimethylacetamide (DMA) and 1.2 propanediol (PR). After 2 h of equilibration at +4 oC, the sperm samples were frozen in liquid nitrogen vapour and stored. RESULTS The best post-thaw motility (43.3%, 41.7%) of sperm was achieved when protected with 0.5 and 1.0 M glycerol. Arylesterase and ceruloplasmin parameters were significantly different after equilibration, whereas sulfhydryl groups were significantly different after freezing in their respective groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The increased use of glycerol caused greater loss of motility. The role of oxidative stress in freezing was also found to be limited.