Broiler breeder putative lipid biomarkers associated with sperm mobility

Authors: BOND, ARIANNA - University Of Maryland; Mills, Kayla; FERREIRA, CHRISTINA - Purdue University; HARFORD, ISAAC - Cobb-Vantress, Inc; FLACK, BRENDA - Cobb-Vantress, Inc; Long, Julie; Diehl, Kristen

Submitted to: Frontiers in Physiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/30/2024
Publication Date: 11/15/2024
Citation: Bond, A., Mills, K.M., Ferreira, C., Harford, I., Flack, B., Long, J.A., Diehl, K.M. 2024. Broiler breeder putative lipid biomarkers associated with sperm mobility. Frontiers in Physiology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2024.1504557.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2024.1504557

Interpretive Summary: Lipid-based indicators of sperm mobility in broiler breeder roosters would provide the ability to screen for fertility potential, with sperm mobility directly related to fertilization potential. This study characterized the lipid profile of seminal plasma, sperm cells, and whole semen isolated from broiler breeder roosters with low and high sperm mobility. In addition, samples were collected across key timepoints of the semen production cycle to examine how lipid profiles shift with time. Samples were collected from five low mobility roosters and five high mobility roosters during early, mid, and late semen production. A total of 3241 individual lipid were identified in rooster semen. Lipids that differed between low and high sperm mobility samples or across timepoints were further analyzed for enrichment of lipid biological processes. Lipid totals were impacted by sample type, sperm mobility phenotype, and timepoint. A total of 31, 99, and 112 individual lipids were found to be different between low and high sperm mobility roosters in the seminal plasma, sperm cell, and whole semen samples, respectively. Low sperm mobility roosters showed a larger change in lipids over time when compared to high sperm mobility roosters. Identified lipids showed enrichment for key functions related to sperm survival, storage, and productivity. Of these lipids, 9 were identified as excellent sperm mobility indicators that could be used to predict fertility potential in the poultry industry.

Technical Abstract: Biomarkers indicative of sperm mobility in broiler breeders would provide the ability to screen for fertility potential, with a positive correlation established between sperm mobility and fertilization potential. This study characterized the lipidome of seminal plasma (SP), sperm cell (SC), and whole semen (WS) isolated from broiler breeder roosters with different sperm mobility phenotypes across key timepoints of the semen production cycle. WS samples were collected from five high mobility roosters and five low mobility roosters during early, mid, and late semen production, with SP separated from SC by centrifugation. Using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) profiling, a total of 3241 lipid species were identified in rooster semen across ten lipid classes. Metaboanalyst 6.0 was used to analyze the relative ion intensity for each lipid species due to sperm mobility phenotype through a t-test and due to timepoint through a one-way ANOVA, with lipid ontology enrichment analysis performed using LION. Metaboanalyst 6.0 was also used to perform biomarker analysis for the sperm mobility phenotype in WS samples. Lipid class total abundance was impacted by sample type, sperm mobility phenotype, and timepoint. A total of 31, 99, and 112 lipid species were found to be different between low and high mobility males across timepoints in the SP, SC, and WS samples, respectively. Lipid ontology enrichment analysis revealed stark contrasts in lipid-based functions key to sperm survival, storage, and productivity between low and high sperm mobility phenotypes. Through biomarker analysis, 9 lipid species were identified as excellent sperm mobility biomarkers that could be detected in early and mid-semen production. Timepoint based changes in lipid species were unique to each sperm mobility phenotype, with low sperm mobility roosters exhibiting a larger number of lipid species changes over the semen production cycle in the SP and SC when compared to high sperm mobility roosters. This is the first study to characterize poultry semen lipidome using MRM profiling. The lipid species identified between low and high sperm mobility roosters could be utilized in the poultry industry as potential biomarkers of fertility potential, with the ability to screen for the economical trait of fertility potential early in semen production.