Effect of fatty acids bound to bovine serum albumin-V on acrosome reaction and utilization of glucose in boar spermatozoa

Aim:  The present study has been designed with the objective of determining if fatty acids bound to bovine serum albumin-V (BSA-V) can improve motility, viability, and increase acrosome reaction (AR) and utilization of glucose in boar spermatozoa.
Methods:  Boar spermatozoa were washed, swum-up and incubated at 37°C for 6 h in TALP medium supplemented with fatty acids bound to bovine serum albumin fraction V (BSA-V), fatty acid free BSA (BSA-FAF), polyvinyl alcohol + main fatty acids bound to BSA-V (PVA + FA) and PVA. Sperm motility, viability, AR, and the incorporation and oxidation of ¹⁴C-glucose were evaluated during 6 h of incubation.
Results:  The results show that the BSA-V was superior to BSA-FAF and PVA in improving motility and AR. Viability was significantly increased ( P  < 0.05) by only BSA-V compared with PVA. When the main fatty acids compound of BSA-V were added to PVA, the sperm motility, viability and AR became almost the same as with BSA-V. The rate of incorporation and oxidation of ¹⁴C-glucose were significantly increased ( P  < 0.05) by BSA-V compared with BSA-FAF and PVA. Fatty acids bound to BSA-V are important for improvement of sperm functions.
Conclusions:  The present study postulates that fatty acids bound to BSA-V are important to acrosome reaction and the utilization of glucose in boar spermatozoa.