Specific LED-based red light photo-stimulation procedures improve overall sperm function and reproductive performance of boar ejaculates

• Published in: Scientific reports 2016-03, Vol.6 (1), p.22569-22569, Article 22569
• Main Authors: Yeste, Marc, Codony, Francesc, Estrada, Efrén, Lleonart, Miquel, Balasch, Sam, Peña, Alejandro, Bonet, Sergi, Rodríguez-Gil, Joan E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 13/31; 631/1647; 631/61/17; Acrosome - drug effects; Animals; Artificial insemination; Biotechnology; Biotecnologia; Capacitation; Ejaculation; Exocytosis - drug effects; Hogs; Humanities and Social Sciences; In Vitro Techniques; Light; Male; Membrane potential; Membrane structure; Mitochondria; multidisciplinary; Parturition; Pigs; Porcs; Progesterone - pharmacology; Reproducció; Reproducció assistida; Reproduction; Reproductive technology; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Semen; Sperm; Sperm Capacitation; Spermatozoa - physiology; Swine
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/srep22569

The present study evaluated the effects of exposing liquid-stored boar semen to different red light LED regimens on sperm quality and reproductive performance. Of all of the tested photo-stimulation procedures, the best pattern consisted of 10 min light, 10 min rest and 10 min of further light (10-10-10 pattern). This pattern induced an intense and transient increase in the majority of motility parameters, without modifying sperm viability and acrosome integrity. While incubating non-photo-stimulated sperm at 37 °C for 90 min decreased all sperm quality parameters, this reduction was prevented when the previously-described light procedure was applied. This effect was concomitant with an increase in the percentage of sperm with high mitochondrial membrane potential. When sperm were subjected to ‘ in vitro ’ capacitation, photo-stimulation also increased the percentage of sperm with capacitation-like changes in membrane structure. On the other hand, treating commercial semen doses intended for artificial insemination with the 10-10-10 photo-stimulation pattern significantly increased farrowing rates and the number of both total and live-born piglets for parturition. Therefore, our results indicate that a precise photo-stimulation procedure is able to increase the fertilising ability of boar sperm via a mechanism that could be related to mitochondrial function.