Superoxide Dismutase and Catalase Activities in the Seminal Plasma of Normozoospermic and Asthenozoospermic Beagles

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We measured the blood plasma testosterone (T) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities in the seminal plasma of the ejaculates of 5 normal (2-5 years old) and 5 asthenozoospermic (AZ-) (3-5 years old) Beagles. Sperm ejaculated by AZ-dogs was incubated for 3 hr in Eagles MEM only (controls) or Eagles MEM containing 100 units/ml of SOD or catalase. Sperm motility was examined during incubation. The mean (± SE) plasma T level of the AZ-dogs (1.2 ± 0.2 ng/ml) was significantly lower than in the normal dogs (2.5 ± 0.2 ng/ml) (P<0.005). The mean (± SE) seminal plasma SOD and catalase activities (18.8 ± 1.9 and 0.5 ± 0.1 unit/g protein, respectively) were significantly lower in the AZ-dogs than in the normal dog (43.3 ± 2.5 and 2.2 ± 0.4 unit/g protein, respectively) (P<0.001 and 0.01, respectively). The motility of sperm incubated in Eagles MEM containing SOD or catalase was significantly higher than that of control sperm incubated in only Eagles MEM after 2 or 3 hr of incubation (P<0.05). The results of this study indicate that poor T secretion by the testes and low antioxidant enzyme activities are related to AZ in the dog.