The effect of dietary supplementation with blueberry, α-tocopherol or astaxanthin on oxidative stability of Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) semen

The objective was to determine the oxidative stability of Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) semen following dietary supplementation with lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) product, α-tocopherol, α-tocopherol + blueberry product, or α-tocopherol + astaxanthin. Sperm lipid peroxidation was initiated by challenging with ferrous sulphate/ascorbic acid (Fe++/Asc) at level of 0.04/0.2 mmol/L. Addition of blueberry, α-tocopherol, or both to char diets inhibited semen lipid peroxidation by: (a) decreasing the rate of sperm lipid peroxidation, an effect which was more pronounced with α-tocopherol treatments; and (b) increasing the antioxidant potential of seminal plasma, based on the lipid peroxidation process of sperm and an in vitro chicken brain tissue model. Dietary supplementation with astaxanthin and α-tocopherol had the same effect as the supplementation with α-tocopherol alone on inhibiting the lipid peroxidation process of sperm and chicken brain. Catalase-like activity increased significantly in sperm of fish fed α-tocopherol, blueberry, or both. There was a negative correlation (r = −0.397, P < 0.05) between catalase-like activity in sperm cells and the rate of sperm lipid peroxidation. Seminal plasma α-tocopherol levels increased significantly in fish supplemented with α-tocopherol alone or in combination with blueberry or astaxanthin. There were negative correlations between seminal plasma α-tocopherol levels and lipid peroxidation rates of sperm cells (r = −0.625, P < 0.01) and brain tissue (r = −0.606, P < 0.01). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of blueberry product or α-tocopherol inhibited lipid peroxidation in Arctic char semen. Further experiments are needed to test the effect of dietary blueberry and antioxidants on Arctic char semen quality during liquid and cryopreserved storage.