Sodium alginate and bovine serum albumin co-combined improved the cryopreservation quality of boar sperm through the PI3K-AKT pathway

Context The occurrence of apoptosis due to transient oxidative damage to spermatozoa presents a significant challenge in semen preservation. At present, the addition of protective agents is the primary method for mitigating this damage and involves the addition of protective agents. Aims This study aims to elucidate the mechanism of action of cryopreservation and to identify high-quality combinatorial cryopreservation dilutions. Methods In this study, two protective agents, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and sodium alginate (SA), were combined to evaluate the effectiveness of these novel additives in protecting porcine sperm from damage during cryopreservation. The mechanism of action of the SA and BSA combination was further elucidated at the molecular level, with key proteins being identified through proteomic analysis. Key results The findings indicated that sperm treated with 2mg/mL SA and 5mg/mL BSA exhibited optimal motility parameters, superior functional integrity and the most effective ability to alleviate oxidative stress. Combined with proteomic data, the results suggested that these additives regulate improvements in sperm quality by mediating the activity of the PI3K-AKT pathway. Conclusions This study found that the combination of SA and BSA provides an effective protective effect for frozen sperm preservation. Implications The findings offer theoretical and technical support for the use of composite additive to protect sperm from damage, which is crucial for enhancing the quality of pig semen and improving reproductive outcomes.