Research articleLow levels of apoptotic-like changes in fresh and cryopreserved feline spermatozoa collected from the urethra and epididymis

The aim of this study was to examine apoptotic markers in fresh and frozen-thawed feline spermatozoa collected via urethral catheterization and epididymal slicing. Caspase activation, DNA fragmentation, and phosphatidylserine externalization were evaluated using flow cytometry in sperm cells from both sources before and after cryopreservation. The study revealed no differences between urethral and epididymal spermatozoa, both in fresh and frozen-thawed samples. The level of apoptotic changes in sperm cells in fresh feline semen was low: 0.8 ± 0.8% of live urethral and 0.4 ± 0.4% of live epididymal spermatozoa showed active caspases; 1.6 ± 0.9% and 2.1 ± 1.9%, respectively, showed DNA fragmentation; and 0.3 ± 0.2% and 1.0 ± 1.3%, respectively, showed phosphatidylserine externalization. In both types of sperm cells, cryopreservation did not induce a significant increase in caspase activation (urethral: from 3.9 ± 3.2% to 7.5 ± 5.0%; epididymal: from 4.7 ± 2.9% to 11.7 ± 8.5%). In urethral spermatozoa, phosphatidylserine externalization in live cells was significantly (P < 0.05) increased after thawing (from 0.3 ± 0.2% to 2.7 ± 2.5%). This increase was not noted for epididymal spermatozoa (from 1.0 ± 1.3% to 1.7 ± 1.3%). No significant changes in DNA fragmentation were observed (2.1 ± 0.8% and 1.7 ± 1.0%). In conclusion, both urethral and epididymal feline spermatozoa showed equally low levels of apoptotic-like changes. Hence, apoptotic alterations seem to play only a minor role, if any, in urethral and epididymal feline spermatozoa. The deterioration of sperm quality after freezing and thawing is more likely connected with direct damage to the cells than to activation of apoptotic processes.