Spirulina polysaccharides improve postthaw sperm quality in bulls by inhibiting the activation of pathways related to protein kinase A

Guanghua Su; Zhe Liu; Huiting Xue; Xiaoyu Zhao; Lei Yang; Di Wu; Chao Hai; Xuefei Liu; Lishuang Song; Chunling Bai; Guanhua Li; Guangpeng Li

doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.139796

Spirulina polysaccharides improve postthaw sperm quality in bulls by inhibiting the activation of pathways related to protein kinase A

Int J Biol Macromol. 2025 Jan 11:139796. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.139796. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Guanghua Su¹, Zhe Liu¹, Huiting Xue², Xiaoyu Zhao¹, Lei Yang¹, Di Wu¹, Chao Hai¹, Xuefei Liu¹, Lishuang Song¹, Chunling Bai¹, Guanhua Li³, Guangpeng Li⁴

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation and Breeding of Grassland Livestock (R2BGL), Inner Mongolia University, 24 Zhaojun Rd., Hohhot 010070, China; College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, 24 Zhaojun Rd., Hohhot 010070, China.
² College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, 24 Zhaojun Rd., Hohhot 010070, China; College of Basic Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010110, China.
³ College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, 24 Zhaojun Rd., Hohhot 010070, China. Electronic address: liguanhua1984@126.com.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation and Breeding of Grassland Livestock (R2BGL), Inner Mongolia University, 24 Zhaojun Rd., Hohhot 010070, China; College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, 24 Zhaojun Rd., Hohhot 010070, China. Electronic address: gpengli@imu.edu.cn.

PMID: 39805438
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.139796

Abstract

Sperm cryopreservation is widely used in assisted reproductive technology (ART) and livestock breeding. Although sperm cryopreservation accelerates breeding, the quality of cryopreserved sperm tends to be decreased. Improving the quality of frozen sperm is a hot topic, and spirulina polysaccharide, known for its immunomodulatory and antioxidant properties, is considered a promising natural extract for extensive studies. In this study, a pectic polysaccharide was extracted from spirulina (PSP), and its effects on postthaw bovine sperm viability were evaluated. Phosphoproteomic analysis based on TMT labelling and LC-MS/MS was employed. The results revealed that 10 mg/L PSP had significant protective effects on postthaw sperm viability, plasma membrane integrity, acrosomal integrity, and mitochondrial membrane integrity. Moreover, PSP increased the antioxidant capacity by activating antioxidant enzymes such as SOD, CAT, and GSH-PX and reduced apoptosis, ROS release and MDA levels. In addition, PSP resulted in decreased phosphorylation levels of proteins related to the acrosome, flagellum, metabolism, energy acquisition, and apoptosis. This protective effect of PSP on frozen sperm was achieved by inhibiting the activation of protein kinase A(PKA) protein-related pathways.

Keywords: Antioxidant capacity; Bovine; PKA; Phosphoproteomics; Sperm; Spirulina polysaccharide.