Artesunate improves cryopreserved yak sperm quality by activating SOD1 antioxidant pathway

Yilin Fan¹Weibing Lv¹Xiaowei Li²Geri wanma¹Jian Li¹Xianrong Xiong¹Xiaoqiang He²Yanwen Wang²Shi Yin¹Wei Fu¹Honghong He¹Yaqiu Lin¹Daoliang Lan¹Yan Xiong^1*

• ¹Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China
• ²Longri Breeding Stock Farm of Sichuan Province, Dujiangyan, China

Sperm damage caused by oxidative stress is a common issue during semen cryopreservation. However, exploration of potential natural antioxidants as the protective agents for frozen semen remain largely unknown. Artesunate (ART), a compound derived from Artemisia annua, which is commonly used for malaria treatment, warrants further investigation regarding its potential as an antioxidant for frozen semen. Here, we investigated the effects of various concentrations (0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 mM) of ART on the cryopreservation of yak semen and delineated its underlying molecular mechanism. The data demonstrated a marked decline in sperm quality post-freezing, with 0.2 mM ART significantly improving sperm motility (both total and progressive motility) and reducing membrane damage. ART treatment also effectively alleviated oxidative stress, as evidenced by reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the sperm, simultaneous selectively upregulating the activity and protein levels of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), involved in maintain DNA integrity and mitochondria function. These findings support the hypothesis that ART exerts its antioxidant effects via a SOD1-mediated mechanism. Collectively, these results highlight the potential of ART to improve frozen semen quality and presents a novel strategy for the cryopreservation of sperm in other species.