IN VITRO STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF 17β-ESTRADIOL AND 4-NONYLPHENOL ON BOVINE SPERMATOZOA

Abstract

Nonylphenol (NP), an environmental endocrine disruptor, is a final metabolite of nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE) that is able to interfere with hormonal system of numerous organisms. Estrogens play a central role in female reproduction, but also affect the male reproductive system. In males, stimulate mammalian spermatozoa capacitation, acrosome reaction and fertilizing ability. The aim of this in vitro study was to determine the effect of 17β-estradiol and nonylphenol (NP) on the spermatozoa motility. Specifically, we examined the dose- and time-dependent effect of nonylphenol (1, 10, 100 and 200 µg/mL) with the addition 1 µg/mL of 17β-estradiol on the motility and progressive motility of bovine spermatozoa during two time periods (0 h and 6 h). The spermatozoa motility was determined by CASA (Computer Assisted Semen Analyzer) system using the Sperm VisionTM program. The results showed decreased average values of motility in all experimental groups during 0 h of in vitro cultivation. The motility and the progressive motility of bovine spermatozoa increased in the experimental groups using concentrations 10, 100 and 200 µg/mL after 6 h of cultivation and significant differences (P<0.05) were detected between these groups and the control group. The results suggest that the addition of 17β-estradiol could positively affect spermatozoa motility during the short-term cultivation of spermatozoa with NP.