Bull 4MID® Kit (proAKAP4 marker)

Innovative immunoassay to assess semen quality in bulls (all breeds)     

The Bull 4MID® Kit (Ref. 4VDX-18K4) is the first immunoassay that validates objectively semen quality by quantifying a protein biomarker named proAKAP4 in samples of bull semen. 

This ELISA kit is the 1st functional test to evaluate sperm quality and fertility, as high levels of AKAP4 has been shown in high fertile bulls (Peddinti et al. 2008 : Singh et al. 2019 ; Ruelle et al. 2019 ; Ruelle et al. 2020 ; Bastan and Akcay, 2021 ; Marques de Almeida, 2022 ; Dordas-Perpinya et al. 2022).

The dosage of the proAKAP4 biomarker with the Bull 4MID® Kit, will bring :

• Objective information on semen quality in bulls (all breeds)

• Qualification of each breeding male and their ejaculates overtimes

• Selection of semen with long-lasting motility at post-thaw

• Pertinent parameter to improve sperm cryopreservation

• Selection of semen with less tail abnormalities 

• A functional indicator correlated to fertility 

The concentration of the proAKAP4 biomarker is a good indicator of sperm quality and of how the spermatozoa can keep its motility high and efficient overtimes (Sergeant et al. 2019 ; Bastan and Akcay, 2021).

High concentrations of proAKAP4 help select semen with long lasting motility and are indicative of good spermatogenesis, giving more mature, more “normal’ spermatozoa and less tail abnormalities ratio in bull semen samples (Bastan and Akcay, 2021).

Technical data of the Bull 4MID® Kit

• Name: Bull 4MID® Kit 
• Reference : 4VDX-18K4
• Specificity : bull proAKAP4 (all breeds)
• This ELISA kit allow to assess from 1 to 88 samples simultaneously or individually (12 strips of 8 wells per microplate 96 wells / per kit)
• Working with ejaculate, chilled or frozen semen 
• Easy to use immunoassay
• Easy to interpret / implement
• Objective, robust and reproductible method

Research Use Only Product (RUO) / Not for Diagnosis or Therapeutic Use.

References about the advantages of the uses of the proAKAP4 / AKAP4 analysis in bulls / bibliography :

• Dordas-Perpinyà M, Sergeant N, Ruelle I, Bruyas JF, Charreaux C, Michaud S, Carracedo S, Catalán J, Miró J, Delehedde M and Briand-Amirat L (2022) ProAKAP4 semen concentrations as a valuable marker protein of post-thawed semen quality and bull fertility: a retrospective study. Veterinary Sciences. Vol. 9 :224.
• Dordas-Perpinyà M, Sergeant N, Ruelle I, Bruyas JF, Charreaux C, Michaud S, Carracedo S, Catalán J, Miró J, Delehedde M and Briand-Amirat L (2022) ProAKAP4 semen concentrations as a valuable marker protein of post-thawed semen quality and bull fertility: a retrospective study. Veterinary Sciences. Vol. 9 :224. 
• Marques de Almeida AB, Megumy Tsunokawa HidalgoM, Zito de Moraes FL, Corsi Trautwein LG, Schnitzer J, Dos Santos Silva LA, Rizzoto G, Pinheiro Ferreira JC and Mello Martins MI (2022) The proAKAP4 concentrations in Nellore bulls' sperm and its relations to FTAI conception rates results. Rev Bras Reprod Anim. Vol. 46(2)178-179.
• Kowalczyk A, Gałeska E and Bubel A (2022) The Concentration of ProAKAP4 and Other Indicators of Cryopotential of Spermatozoa Cryopreserved in Extender with Holothuroidea Extract Addition. Animals. Vol. 12:521. https:// doi.org/10.3390/ani12040521
• Bastan I and Akcay E (2021) Quality assessment of frozen bull semen with the precursor A-kinase anchor protein 4 biomarker. Andrologia e14164
• Delehedde M, Carracedo S, Selleslagh M, et al. ProAKAP4 polypeptide as a biomarker of sperm functionality and male fertility disorders. Int J Gynecol and Reprod Sci. (2019);2(1):13-19.
• Sergeant N, Briand-Amirat L, Bencharif D and Delehedde M (2019) The sperm specific protein proAKAP4 as an innovative marker to evaluate sperm quality and fertility. Journal of Dairy & Veterinary Sciences. Vol. 11:01-19.
• Singh R, Junghare V, Hazra S, Singh U, Sengar GS, Raja TV, Kumar S, Tyagi S, Das A.K., Kumar A, Koringa P, Jakhesara S, Joshi CJ and Deb R (2019) Database on spermatozoa transcriptogram of catagorised frieswal crossbred (holstein friesian X sahiwal) bulls. Theriogenology. Vol. 129:130-145.
• Fu Q, Pan L, Huang D, Wang Z, Hou Z and Zhang M (2019) Proteomic profiles of buffalo spermatozoa and seminal plasma. Theriogenology. Vol. 134:74-82.
• Ruelle I, Charreaux F, Bencharif D, Thorin C, Michaud S, Schmitt E, Sergeant N, Briand-Amirad L and Delehedde M (2019) Assessment of the sperm specific protein proAKAP4 as a marker to evaluate sperm quality and fertility in Holstein bulls. Animal Reproduction. In press.
• Delehedde M, Blommaert D, Jouy N, Scabello J, Miersman H, Franck T, Serteyn D, Mitchell V and Sergeant S (2018) Concentration of proAKAP4 as a pertinent read-out of sperm quality in mammals. Animal Reproduction Science. Vol. 194:24.
• Sergeant N, Jumeau F, Eddarkaoui S, Sigala J, Dossou GF, Delehedde M, Buee L, Yvoz JF and Mitchell V (2016) Investigating proteomic methods and tools to assess sperm quality. Animal Reproduction Science. Vol. 169:99-135.
• Jagan Mojanarao G and Atreja S.K (2011) Identification of capacitation associated tyrosine phosphoproteins in buffalo and cattle spermatozoa. Animal Reproduction Science. Vol. 123:40-47.
• Fiedler S, Bajpai M and Carr D (2008) Identification and characterization of RHOA-interacting proteins in bovine spermatozoa. Biology of Reproduction. Vol. 78:184-192.
• Peddinti D, Nanduri B, Kaya A, Feugang JM, Burgess SC and Memili E (2008) Comprehensive proteomic analysis of bovine spermatozoa of varying fertility rates and identification of biomarkers associated with fertility. BMC Systems Biology. Vol. (2)19:1-13.
• Moss S, Turner R, Burkert K, Butt H and Gerton G (1999) Conservation and function of a bovine sperm A-kinase anchor protein homologous to mouse AKAP82. Biology of Reproduction. Vol. 61:335-342.

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