Ghrelin enhances viability of rat spermatozoa during incubation at 37°C

Abstract

Antioxidant properties of ghrelin have been demonstrated in recent studies. In the present study, theeffects of chronic administration of ghrelin on the motility and plasma membrane integrity of rat spermatozoa during incubation at 37ºC were investigated. Thirty 45-day-old male Wistar rats were divided into control and treatment groups. Rats in the treatment group were daily injected subcutaneously with 1 nmol of ghrelin for 10 consecutive days and the control rats received normal saline. Sperm was collected after killing of rats on days 5, 15 and 40 after the last injection, and sperm characteristics were examined at 0, 3 and 5 h after incubation at 37ºC. Mass motility and forward progressive movement of spermatozoa were significantly higher in ghrelin-treated animals at 3 and 5 h of incubation on day 5 (P