Advances in Cryopreservation of Bull Sperm

Oxidative stress (OS) has been implicated in various degenerative diseases in aging. In an attempt to quantify OS in a cell model, we examined OS induced by incubating for 30 min with various free radical generators in PC12 cells by using the dichlorofluorescein (DCF) assay, modified for use by a fluorescent microplate reader. The nonfluorescent fluorescin derivatives (dichlorofluorescin, DCFH), after being oxidized by various oxidants, will become DCF and emit fluorescence. By quantifying the fluorescence, we were able to quantify the OS. Our results indicated that the fluorescence varied linearly with increasing concentrations (between 0.1 and 1 mM) of H2O2 and 2,2'-azobios(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH; a peroxyl radical generator). By contrast, the fluorescence varied as a nonlinear response to increasing concentrations of 3-morpholinosydnonimine hydrochloride (SIN-1; a peroxynitrite generator), sodium nitroprusside (SNP; a nitric oxide generator), and dopamine. Dopamine had a biphasic effect; it decreased the DCF fluorescence, thus acting as an antioxidant, at concentrations <500 microM in cells, but acted as a pro-oxidant by increasing the fluorescence at 1 mM. While SNP was not a strong pro-oxidant, SIN-1 was the most potent pro-oxidant among those tested, inducing a 70 times increase of fluorescence at a concentration of 100 microM compared with control. Collectively, due to its indiscriminate nature to various free radicals, DCF can be very useful in quantifying overall OS in cells, especially when used in conjunction with a fluorescent microplate reader. This method is reliable and efficient for evaluating the potency of pro-oxidants and can be used to evaluate the efficacy of antioxidants against OS in cells.

Chemical probes for free radicals in biology are important tools; fluorescence and chemiluminescence offer high detection sensitivity. This article reviews progress in the development of probes for "reactive oxygen and nitrogen" species, emphasizing the caution needed in their use. Reactive species include hydrogen peroxide; hydroxyl, superoxide, and thiyl radicals; carbonate radical-anion; and nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, and peroxynitrite. Probes based on reduced dyes lack selectivity and may require a catalyst for reaction: despite these drawbacks, dichlorodihydrofluorescein and dihydrorhodamine have been used in well over 2,000 studies. Use in cellular systems requires loading into cells, and minimizing leakage. Reactive species can compete with intracellular antioxidants, changes in fluorescence or luminescence possibly reflecting changes in competing antioxidants rather than free radical generation rate. Products being measured can react further with radicals, and intermediate probe radicals are often reactive toward antioxidants and especially oxygen, to generate superoxide. Common probes for superoxide and nitric oxide require activation to a reactive intermediate; activation is not achieved by the radical of interest and the response is thus additionally sensitive to this first step. Rational use of probes requires understanding and quantitation of the mechanistic pathways involved, and of environmental factors such as oxygen and pH. We can build on this framework of knowledge in evaluating new probes.