ANNALS OF ANIMAL RESOURCE SCIENCES (동물자원연구)

Institute of Animal Life Science (강원대학교 동물생명과학연구소)
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Effects of Butylparaben on Motility, Viability, and Mitochondrial Function in Boar Sperm

돼지에서 Butylparaben이 정자의 운동성, 생존성, 미토콘드리아 기능에 미치는 영향

  • Se-Been Jeon (Futuristic Animal Resource & Research Center (FARRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)) ;
  • Ji Hyeon Yun (Futuristic Animal Resource & Research Center (FARRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)) ;
  • Se-Yeon Eom (Futuristic Animal Resource & Research Center (FARRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)) ;
  • Na-Gyeom Oh (Futuristic Animal Resource & Research Center (FARRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)) ;
  • Bo-Woong Sim (Futuristic Animal Resource & Research Center (FARRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)) ;
  • Pil-Soo Jeong (Futuristic Animal Resource & Research Center (FARRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)) ;
  • Seong-Keun Cho (Department of Animal Science, College of Natural Resources & Life Science, Pusan National University)
  • 전세빈 (한국생명공학연구원 미래형동물자원센터) ;
  • 윤지현 (한국생명공학연구원 미래형동물자원센터) ;
  • 엄세연 (한국생명공학연구원 미래형동물자원센터) ;
  • 오나겸 (한국생명공학연구원 미래형동물자원센터) ;
  • 심보웅 (한국생명공학연구원 미래형동물자원센터) ;
  • 정필수 (한국생명공학연구원 미래형동물자원센터) ;
  • 조성근 (부산대학교 생명자원응용과학과)
  • Received : 2026.02.25
  • Accepted : 2026.03.24
  • Published : 2026.03.31
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Abstract

Male infertility has been increasing due to greater exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, which interfere with male reproductive physiology and overall reproductive health. Butylparaben (BP), an alkyl ester of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, exhibits strong antimicrobial activity and is widely used as a preservative in foods, cosmetics, and personal care products. Despite the findings of previous studies indicating a potential link between BP and adverse effects on human health, evidence regarding its role in male reproductive toxicity is still scarce. Therefore, to evaluate the male reproductive toxicity of BP, porcine semen was treated with 0, 100, 200, and 300 μM BP, followed by assessment of sperm motility, viability, and mitochondrial function. Sperm motility was analyzed using a computer-assisted sperm analysis system, and BP exposure altered motility (89.13±2.98 vs. 39.47±7.05) as well as multiple kinematic parameters. Sperm viability, assessed using SYBR-14/PI dual staining, was reduced by BP treatment (79.09±2.71 vs. 68.09±2.78). BP exposure also decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and MitoTracker labeling (74.24±2.47 vs. 61.11±3.21 and 1.00±0.04 vs. 0.73±0.04, respectively), while increasing MitoSOX levels (1.00±0.00 vs. 1.13±0.02), indicating elevated mitochondrial oxidative stress and dysfunction. Collectively, these results suggest that BP induces male reproductive toxicity by impairing sperm motility, reducing viability, and disrupting mitochondrial function.

남성 난임은 남성 생식 생리와 전반적인 생식 건강을 방해하는 내분비계 교란 물질에 대한 노출 증가로 인해 증가하고 있다. Butylparaben(BP)은 p-hydroxybenzoic acid의 alkyl ester로, 강한 항균 활성을 나타내며 식품, 화장품 및 개인 위생용품에서 방부제로 널리 사용되고 있다. 이전 연구들에서 BP가 인체 건강에 부정적인 영향을 미칠 수 있다는 가능성이 제기되었으나, 남성 생식 독성에서의 역할에 대한 근거는 아직 부족한 실정이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 BP의 남성 생식 독성을 평가하기 위해 돼지 정액을 0, 100, 200, 300μM BP로 처리한 후 정자 운동성, 생존율 및 미토콘드리아 기능을 분석하였다. 정자 운동성은 컴퓨터 지원 정자 분석 시스템을 사용하여 분석되었으며, BP 노출은 운동성(89.13±2.98 vs. 39.47±7.05)과 여러 운동 역학적 매개변수를 변화시켰다. SYBR-14/PI 이중 염색으로 평가한 정자 생존율은 BP 처리에 의해 감소하였다(79.09±2.71 vs. 68.09±2.78). 또한 BP 노출은 미토콘드리아 막 전위와 MitoTracker 염색을 감소시켰으며(각각 74.24±2.47 vs. 61.11±3.21, 1.00±0.04 vs. 0.73±0.04), 반면 MitoSOX 수준은 증가하였다(1.00±0.0 vs. 1.13±0.02). 이는 미토콘드리아 산화 스트레스 증가와 기능 이상을 시사한다. 종합적으로, 이러한 결과는 BP가 정자 운동성 저하, 생존율 감소, 그리고 미토콘드리아 기능 장애를 통해 남성 생식 독성을 유도함을 시사한다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

이 논문은 부산대학교 기본연구지원사업(2년)에 의하여 연구되었음.

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