In vitro influence of sodium fluoride on ram semen quality and enzyme activities

Abstract

The percentage of spermatozoa in ram semen with intact acrosomes and the level of spermatozoa motility decreased significantly after dilution and after 5 hr incubation at 38ºC. Both indices decreased significantly in the presence of NaF at concentrations ranging from 20 µmol/L to 0.1 mol/L. The activities of androgen-dependent enzymes—acid phosphatase (ACP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (y-GT-10S)—decreased significantly when the ejaculate was treated with NaF at concentrations of 20, 100, 200 µmol/L (0.38; 1.9; 3.8 ppm F-), but they returned to the initial value of the control at 0.1 mol/L (1900 ppm F-). The activity of aspartate transaminase (AspAT) displayed a large increase with the increasing lower F-concentrations and then showed a substantial decrease in activity at the high F- concentration. These changes undoubtedly affect the physiological functions of the sperm.