Nitric oxide induces caspase activity in boar spermatozoa

Nitric oxide (NO) is a highly reactive free radical that plays a key role in intra- and intercellular signaling. Production of radical oxygen species and an apoptotic-like phenomenon have recently been implicated in cryodamage during sperm cryopreservation. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), an NO donor, on boar sperm viability. Semen samples were pooled from four boars that were routinely used for artificial insemination. Flow cytometry was used to compare semen incubated with SNP to control semen. Specifically, NO production was measured using the NO indicator dye diaminofluorescein diacetate, and caspase activity was determined using the permeable pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD linked to FITC. SNP induced a significant increase in the percentage of sperm cells showing caspase activity, from 9.3% in control samples to 76.2% in SNP-incubated samples (P < 0.01). This study suggests that NO is a major free radical involved in boar sperm damage.