Research Article

SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE AND GLUTATHIONE PEROXIDASE ACTIVITY IN PORCINE FOLLICULAR FLUID IN RELATION TO FOLLICLE SIZE, BIRTH STATUS OF GILTS, OVARIAN LOCATION AND YEAR SEASON

Bogdan Lasota, Barbara Błaszczyk, Tomasz Stankiewicz, Jan Udała, Monika Szewczyk, Danuta Matusiak-Bielska

1. Acta Sci. Pol. Zootechnica, 8(1-2), 2009, 19‒30

Abstract. Oxidative metabolism is essential for the gamete and the embryo energy production and is unavoidably associated with generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Enzymatic antioxidant defenses are present in the mammalian oocytes, embryos and follicular fluid (FF). The protection of porcine oocytes against the oxidation stress during IVM enhanced the developmental competence after fertilization.An addition of porcine FF to maturation media have beneficial effects on the IVM and IVF results. The aim of this study was to investigate the total SOD and GSH-Px activity in the FF of gilts, considering birth status, size of follicle, season and site of the body where the ovary for pFF was collected (left or right). The ovaries were collected from a total of 263 gilts (127 nulliparae at age 6–8 month and 136 multiparae gilts at age up to 12 month). To determine SOD activity, Ransod kits were used. This method employs xanthine and xanthine oxidase to generate superoxide radicals which react with I.N.T. to form a red formazan dye. GSH-Px activity in pFF was measured using Ransel kits with hydroxycumene as substrate. In all the analyzed samples of FF SOD and GSH-Px activity was found. The activity of SOD in different seasons varied from 0.656 to 0.886 U·ml-1, and that of GSH-Px from 1277 to 2372 U·l-1. Negative correlation between SOD and GSH-Px activity in pFF was generally slender to medium. The size of follicles, birth status and site from which the ovary was taken seems to play secondary role in the GSH-Px activity, however the birth status is more important for SOD activity. The GSH-Px activity was significantly lower in winter than in the other seasons. The differences in SOD activity between the seasons were not significant. It suggest that seasonally differences in activity of antioxidant enzymes should be taken into account while collecting pFF for IVM/IVF media.

Keywords: birth status, glutathione peroxidase, porcine follicular fluid, season, superoxide dismutase