The Plant- Based Extender Supplemented with MitoQ as a Mitochondrial- Targeted Antioxidant Enhances Buck Sperm Quality during Liquid Storage

One of the problems with the refrigerated storage of buck semen is the short shelf life. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by sperm cells are a major obstacle to successful cooled semen storage. In this regard, the mitochondria are the most sensitive organelles to cooling damage in sperm. Consequently, this study was aimed to determine the impacts of Mito-quinol (MitoQ), a mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant, in a soy lecithin containing extender on the quality of goat semen during cooling and storage at 4 degrees C. Semen samples from Markhoz goats were collected and pooled. Then, samples were diluted in the extender and divided into five equal aliquots and supplemented with 0 (control), 1, 10, 100, and 1000 nM of MitoQ and stored at 4 degrees C for 60 h. Finally, total motility (TM) and progressive motility (PM), viability, membrane functionality, mitochondrial activity potential (MAP), and MDA concentration (lipid peroxidation) were measured at 0, 30, and 60 h of cooling period. According to the current results, higher (P <= 0.05) rates of TM, PM, viability, membrane functionality, and MAP, as well as lower (P <= 0.05) MDA concentration were observed in MQ10 and MQ100 groups than groups of MQ0, MQ1, and MQ1000 at 30 and 60 h cooling storage. However, MitoQ had no effect (P>0.05) on the mentioned parameters at 0 h storage. Consequently, MitoQ can reduce oxidative stress by regulating mitochondrial function during cooling of the buck sperm and could be an effective additive in the cooling medium to protect sperm quality.