Study on the in vitro effect of zearalenone and α-zearalenol on boar sperm-zona pellucida interaction by hemizona assay application

Abstract

The mycotoxin zearalenone (zen) impairs fertility in farm animals. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of zearalenone and its major metabolite (α-zearalenol) on boar semen binding capacity, under in vitro conditions. Extended boar semen was exposed to three different concentrations of zen and a-zen (40, 60 and 80 μg ml-1 of semen) for 1 h. Afterwards, the semen was washed and incubated with homologous oocyte hemizona for 4 h. A significant decrease (P < 0.001) in the number of tightly attached spermatozoa on the hemizona was obtained at concentrations of 60 μg ml -1 and 80 μg ml-1 of zen and α-zen. In conclusion, zen and α-zen affected the sperm-zona interaction by reducing the ability of boar spermatozoa to bind to the zona pellucida. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.