Comparative evaluation of DNA integrity using sperm chromatin structure assay and Sperm-Ovis-Halomax during in vitro capacitation of cryopreserved ram spermatozoa

Special Issue: Proceedings of the 15th International Congress of the Spanish Society for Animal Reproduction (AERA), 7–9 November 2019, Toledo, Spain.This study aimed to compare the ability of sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA ®) and Sperm‐Ovis‐Halomax® to detect DNA fragmentation in frozen‐thawed ram spermatozoa incubated under capacitating conditions in synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF ) supplemented with oestrous sheep serum (SOF ‐ESS ) at multiple time points (0–240 min). Incubation in SOF ‐ESS had no significant effects on SCSA ® parameters while the percentage of spermatozoa with fragmented DNA measured by Sperm‐Ovis‐Halomax® increased after 180 min of incubation. In addition, no correlation or agreement was found between the techniques, suggesting that SCSA ® and Sperm‐Ovis‐Halomax® may quantify different types of DNA damage in ram spermatozoa under these experimental conditions.PFP was supported by a University of Castilla‐La Mancha scholarship. MIC was supported by a Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness scholarship. The study was supported by grants from ALF‐Research (Region Östergötland, LIO‐698951), FORSS (Forskningsrådet i Sydöstra Sverige, 473121 and 745971), Lions Forskningsfond (DNR LIU‐2016‐00641), Linköping and the Swedish Research Council Formas (2017‐00946). Samples were evaluated in the Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine from the Faculty of Medicine in Linköping, Sweden.Peer reviewe