Effect of Incorporation of Additives in Tris-Based Egg Yolk Extender on Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Sperm Tyrosine Phosphorylation During Cryopreservation

Phosphorylation of tyrosine residues on sperm protein is a known indicator of capacitation and a major intracellular signalling event. There is evidence that sperm cryopreservation promotes tyrosine phosphorylation and is associated with reduced fertility of spermatozoa. Under this study, cryoprotective role of different additives namely taurine, trehalose, catalase and 4-bromophenacyl bromide on buffalo sperm quality was evaluated. Buffalo semen was cryopreserved in tris-based egg yolk extender supplemented with additives like taurine (50 mm) or trehalose (100 mm) or 4-bromophenacyl bromide (200 mu m) or catalase (100 U/ml) and used for assessment of levels of tyrosine phosphorylation in frozen-thawed spermatozoa. The results obtained were compared with the level of protein tyrosine phosphorylation of semen cryopreserved in tris-based egg yolk extender without additives. Proteins were extracted from a total number of nine ejaculates from three individual buffalo bulls chosen at random and analysed for tyrosine phospho-proteins using SDSPAGE followed by immunoblotting. Monoclonal anti-phosphotyrosine antibody (Clone pT-154) was used as primary antibody followed by treatment with HRP-conjugated secondary antibody. Signals were detected on X-ray film using chemiluminescence. Nine proteins (p20, p30, p32, p38, p49, p56, p59, p72 and p86) were found to be tyrosine phosphorylated in cryopreserved spermatozoa. Supplementation of additives significantly (p<0.05) reduced the level of protein tyrosine phosphorylation in spermatozoa. Moreover, this study showed improved (p<0.05) post-thaw motility, viability and membrane integrity of spermatozoa on addition of these additives. The results obtained clearly indicate reduced level of capacitation like changes on supplementation of additives in terms of protein tyrosine phosphorylation.