Alginate oligosaccharides increase boar semen quality by affecting gut microbiota and metabolites in blood and sperm

Our research:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.982152

Alginate oligosaccharides increase boar semen quality by affecting gut microbiota and metabolites in blood and sperm

Hui Han^1,2† Yexun Zhou^1,2† Bohui Xiong¹ Ruqing Zhong¹ Yue Jiang¹ Haiqing Sun³ Jiajian Tan³ Bin Zhang⁴ Chang Guan⁴ Martine Schroyen² Liang Chen^1* Yong Zhao^1* Hongfu Zhang¹

· 1、State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China

· 2、Department of AgroBioChem, Precision Livestock and Nutrition Laboratory, Teaching and Research Centre (TERRA), Gembloux AgroBioTech, University of Liège, Gembloux, Belgium

· 3、YangXiang Joint Stock Company, Guigang, China

· 4、Qingdao BZ Oligo Biotech Co., Ltd, Qingdao, China

Alginate oligosaccharides (AOS), natural polymers from brown seaweeds (such as Laminaria japonica, Undaria pinnatifida, and Sargassum fusiforme), have been reported to possess many beneficial advantages for health. In the current study, after 9 weeks of dietary supplementation, AOS 10 mg/kg group (AOS 10) group increased boar sperm motility from 87.8% to 93.5%, p < 0.05. Moreover, AOS10 increased the relative abundances of Bifidobacterium, Coprococcus, Butyricicoccus (1.3–2.3-fold; p < 0.05) to increase the beneficial blood and sperm metabolites (1.2–1.6-fold; p < 0.05), and important sperm proteins such as gelsolin, Zn-alpha2 glycoprotein, Cation Channel Sperm-Associated Protein, outer dense fiber of sperm tails, etc. (1.5–2.2-fold; p < 0.05). AOS had a long-term beneficial advantage on boar semen quality by the increase in semen volume (175 vs. 160 ml/ejaculation, p < 0.05). AOS may be used as dietary additives for improving semen quality.

FIGURE 1. The impacts of AOS on boar sperm quality

FIGURE 2.The influence of AOS on the protein expression in boar sperm