ACROSOMAL DAMAGE AND ENZYMATIC RELEASE OF RABBIT SEMEN SUPPLEMENTED WITH PROSTAGLANDIN-F2-ALPHA

Semen collected from 10 New Zealand White bucks by artificial vagina was diluted with citrate-based diluent to a concentration of 50 x 10(6) spermatozoa ml-1. Aliquots were supplemented with PGF2-alpha at levels of 0, 300, 600 and 1200-mu-g ml-1 and incubated at 37-degrees-C for 4 h. The percentages of damaged acrosomes increased significantly (P < 0.005) with increasing PGF2-alpha levels and incubation time. Activities of glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase were stimulated significantly (P < 0.005) with the increase in the PGF2-alpha levels, whereas the incubation time showed no significant effect. The release of lactic dehydrogenase into the extracellular medium increased significantly with PGF2-alpha levels and incubation time. These results suggest that supplementation of diluted rabbit sperm with PGF2-alpha (300-mu-g ml-1 or more) increased sperm membrane damage and permeability.