# Effect of Tunicamycin on Viability, Motility, Reactive Oxygen Species, Nitric Oxide, and Lipid Peroxidation in Boar Sperm

## TL;DR

This study shows that tunicamycin harms boar sperm by reducing viability and motility while increasing oxidative stress markers.

## Contribution

The novel finding is that tunicamycin induces oxidative stress in boar sperm, leading to decreased viability and motility.

## Key findings

- Tunicamycin reduced sperm viability and motility in a dose-dependent manner.
- Tunicamycin increased reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation levels in boar sperm.
- Nitric oxide levels remained unchanged despite tunicamycin treatment.

## Abstract

Tunicamycin regulates endoplasmic reticulum stress and oxidative stress. Sperm motility and viability are damaged by reactive oxygen species. We investigated the effect of tunicamycin on sperm viability, motility, reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide, and lipid peroxidation in boar sperm. As a result, tunicamycin inhibited sperm viability and motility, and elevated the reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation levels. Therefore, we suggested that tunicamycin may regulate oxidative stress by reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation in boar semen.

Tunicamycin induces endoplasmic reticulum stress in mammalian cells. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of tunicamycin on the motility and viability of sperm, reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide, and lipid peroxidation in boar sperm. We treated 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, and 10 μM of tunicamycin in boar semen, and experimental treatments were performed. The viability (55.44%, 53.20, and 40.00%, p < 0.05) and motility (73.28%, 71.48%, and 54.48%, p < 0.05) of sperm at 2.0, 5.0, and 10.0 μM were decreased by tunicamycin, and the levels of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation in tunicamycin-treated boar semen were increased (p < 0.05). However, the nitric oxide level was not changed by tunicamycin. Based on the results, we indicated that tunicamycin induces cell death by increasing oxidative stress in boar sperm, which may be the cause of decreased sperm viability and motility. Thus, we suggest that tunicamycin may induce cell death due to oxidative stress by reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation.