Successful cryopreservation in biodegradable containers of sperm from aquaculture Mediterranean fishes

• Published in: Theriogenology
• Main Authors: França, Thales S., González-López, Wendy A., Sánchez, Malbelys P., Ferrão, L., Fernández-García, Fátima, Borges, Laís Pedroso, Belenguer, Álvaro, Holhorea, Paul George, Calduch-Giner, Josep A., Felip, Alicia, Gómez, A., Pérez-Sánchez, Jaume, Streit Jr., D.P., Asturiano, Juan F.
• Other Authors: European Commission, Generalitat Valenciana, Ministerio de Universidades (España), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (Brasil)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2024
• Subjects: Capsule; HPMC; Gelatin; Cryobiology; Fish; Anguilla anguilla; European eel
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/358468; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.12.016

We aimed to evaluate the efficiency of hard-gelatin and hard-hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) capsules as biodegradable alternative containers to plastic straws in European eel (Anguilla anguilla), gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) and European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) sperm cryopreservation. Sperm samples from each European eel (n = 12) were diluted 1:8:1 (sperm: extender P1+5 % egg yolk: methanol). Gilthead seabream (n = 12) samples were individually diluted in a cryoprotectant solution of 5 % Me2SO + NaCl 1 % plus BSA (10 mg mL−1) at a ratio of 1:6 (sperm: cryoprotectant solution). European sea bass (n = 10) sperm from each male was diluted in non-activating medium (NAM) at a ratio of 1:5.7 (sperm: NAM), and 5 % of Me2SO was added. The diluted European eel and sea bass sperm aliquots (0.5 mL) were individually filled in plastic straws (0.5 mL), hard-gelatin, and HPMC capsules (0.68 mL). Gilthead seabream diluted sperm (0.25 mL) were filled in plastic straws (0.25 mL) and identical capsules described. All samples were frozen in liquid nitrogen vapor and stored in a liquid nitrogen tank. Sperm kinetic parameters were evaluated by CASA-Mot software. Sperm membrane integrity was performed using a Live and Dead KIT and an epifluorescence microscope. To quantify DNA damage, the alkaline comet assay was performed and TailDNA (TD-%) and Olive Tail Moment (OTM) were evaluated by CaspLab software. Sperm cryopreservation of the three Mediterranean species in straws, gelatin, or HPMC capsules reduced the kinetic parameters and cell membrane integrity. Generally, the post-thawing samples cryopreserved in straws and capsules did not differ for the kinetic parameters and cell membrane integrity, except for European sea bass sperm, where the samples stored in gelatin capsules showed higher velocities (VCL - 100; VSL - 76; VAP - 90 μm s−1) than the sperm stored in HPMC capsules (VCL - 87; VSL - 59; VAP - 73 μm s−1). The cryopreservation process did not damage the sperm DNA of European eel and European sea bass, ...