The effect of Mycoplasma mycoides ssp mycoides LC of bovine origin on in vitro fertilizing ability of bull spermatozoa and embryo development

Several Mycoplasma species may adversely affect bovine spermatozoa viability and embryo development. Mycoplasma mycoides ssp. mycoides large-colony (LC) has been isolated from naturally aborted bovine fetuses and from bull semen. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether M. mycoides ssp. mycoides LC contaminated bovine ejaculates could (i) impair in vitro fertilizing ability of bull spermatozoa, (ii) impair embryo development, and (iii) evaluate potential spread by reproductive technologies. In the present study, spermatozoa of 10 fertile bulls were contaminated with M. mycoides ssp. mycoides LC, at a final concentration of 1.5 million CFU/ml and incubated for 60 min before evaluating spermatozoa motility and acrosome reaction inducibility with calcium ionophore. In addition, in vitro contaminated semen of a bull previously shown to have a good in vitro fertilizing ability, was used in an IVF procedure. Embryo development stage on Day-7 of culture was evaluated. Spermatozoa and embryos at morula and blastocyst stages were routinely processed for transmission electron microscopy observation. Both mean total and progressive motility decreased (P < 0.01) upon spermatozoa incubation with Mycoplasma. One-hour incubation with calcium ionophore increased the percentage of acrosome-reacted spermatozoa, although Mycoplasma contamination reduced calcium ionophore treatment efficacy (P < 0.05). Ultrastructurally, Mycoplasma microorganisms appeared as moderately electron-dense sphere-shaped particles, adhering to cell membranes. Sperm mid-piece sections showed numeric aberrations of the central singlets such as nine + zero or nine + one of the axonemal complex. Further morphological abnormalities included partial or total absence of dinein arms and radial fibers, with lack of the bridge and the central ring in 35.00 +/- 4.20% of contaminated cells, whereas these abnormalities were not observed in uninfected ones. The IVF trials showed that two-four cell blocks were higher (P < 0.05) in the infected group. Ultrastructure of Day-7 contaminated embryos showed Mycoplasma particles adhering and infiltrating the outer layer of the zona pellucida. Our investigations suggest that M. mycoides ssp. mycoides LC contaminating the bovine ejaculate induced adverse effects on in vitro spermatozoa-fertilizing ability and embryonic development. Some satisfactory quality transferable embryos could be produced in contaminated IVF systems. This could imply a potential transmission of this microorganism through reproductive technologies. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.