Carnosine as malondialdehyde scavenger in stallion seminal plasma and its role in sperm function and oxidative status

Semen biotechniques may impair sperm quality due to excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Additionally, products of the oxidative reaction, especially involving lipids (e.g., malondialdehyde – MDA), may be even more harmful to sperm. Carnosine, previously reported to be present in seminal plasma of several species, may be a key factor on sperm tolerance to biotechniques by counterattacking the deleterious influence of MDA. Therefore, the aim of this study was to measure the levels of carnosine present in equine seminal plasma and relate these findings with sperm function and oxidative status during cooling and cryopreservation. Thus, semen samples were collected from 40 stallions in duplicate (N = 80) and then submitted to cooling and cryopreservation. Samples were then allocated into groups of high and low tolerance to refrigeration and cryopreservation (bad cooler and good cooler/bad freezer and good freezer, respectively), and in groups of different concentrations of carnosine (High, Medium-high, Medium-low and Low carnosine). Samples were evaluated for sperm kinetics patterns, function of sperm structures and oxidative status. In good cooler samples, it was observed higher concentrations of carnosine (Good cooler: 224.98 ± 19.16 ng/mL; Bad cooler: 159.72 ± 15.99 ng/mL; p = 0.0056), ROS production (Good cooler: 26.40 ± 18.33%; Bad cooler: 18.33 ± 1.84%; p = 0.001) and lipid peroxidation rates (Good cooler: 193.23 ± 18.22 ng/mL; Bad cooler: 131.92 ± 12.25; p = 0.0064). Groups of samples with higher carnosine concentrations had lower levels of malondialdehyde (High: 79.33 ± 6.72 ng/mL; Medium-high: 140.45 ± 11.70 ng/mL; Medium-low: 202.57 ± 16.30 ng/mL and Low: 231.02 ± 32.35 ng/mL; p < 0.05), demonstrating that carnosine was effective in removing lipid peroxidation products. Due to the removal of seminal plasma during the cryopreservation process, no differences occurred in carnosine levels between bad and good freezer groups. In this context, this study provides relevant data for future therapies using carnosine during cryopreservation, aiming to replace the levels lost due to the necessary removal of seminal plasma.