Journal Article

Vitamin E but Not GSH Decreases Reactive Oxygen Species Accumulation and Enhances Sperm Production during In Vitro Maturation of Frozen-Thawed Prepubertal Mouse Testicular Tissue

Rondanino, Christine, Saulnier, Justine, Rives, Aurélie, Arkoun, Brahim, Rives, Nathalie, Galas, Ludovic, Delessard, Marion, Dumont, Ludovic

2019

Overview

Freezing–thawing procedures and in vitro culture conditions are considered as a source of stress associated with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, leading to a damaged cell aerobic metabolism and consequently to oxidative stress. In the present study, we sought to investigate whether vitamin E (Vit E) or reduced glutathione (GSH) enhances sperm production by decreasing ROS accumulation during in vitro maturation of prepubertal mice testes. Testes of prepubertal mice were cryopreserved using a freezing medium supplemented or not supplemented with Vit E and were cultured after thawing. In presence of Rol alone in culture medium, frozen-thawed (F-T) testicular tissues exhibited a higher ROS accumulation than fresh tissue during in vitro culture. However, Vit E supplementation in freezing, thawing, and culture media significantly decreased cytoplasmic ROS accumulation in F-T testicular tissue during in vitro maturation when compared with F-T testicular tissue cultured in the presence of Rol alone, whereas GSH supplementation in culture medium significantly increased ROS accumulation associated with cytolysis and tissue disintegration. Vit E but not GSH promoted a better in vitro sperm production and was a suitable ROS scavenger and effective molecule to improve the yield of in vitro spermatogenesis from F-T prepubertal mice testes. The prevention of oxidative stress in the cytoplasmic compartment should be regarded as a potential strategy for improving testicular tissue viability and functionality during the freeze–thaw procedure and in vitro maturation.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Animals / Antioxidants / Antioxidants - pharmacology / Cell Differentiation - drug effects / Cryopreservation / Cryopreservation - methods / Culture Media - chemistry / Cytoplasm - drug effects / Cytoplasm - metabolism / Embryos / Fatty acids / Free radicals / Freezing / Glutathione / Glutathione - pharmacology / Hydrogen peroxide / Life Sciences / Lipids / Male / Mice / Motility / Oxidative stress / Reactive oxygen species / Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism / Reproductive Biology / Seminiferous Tubules - drug effects / Seminiferous Tubules - metabolism / Seminiferous Tubules - pathology / Sperm / Spermatogenesis / Spermatogenesis - drug effects / Spermatozoa - metabolism / Stem cells / Testis - drug effects / Testis - metabolism / Testis - pathology / Vitamin E / Vitamin E - metabolism / Vitamin E - pharmacology