title: Genetic studies in varicocele infertility: I: pedigree, nuclear sex and seminal nucleic acids.
abstract: The hereditary predisposition of varicocele men to develop infertility was investigated in a controlled study involving 30 infertile varicocele patients. Analysis of the pedigree charts, determination of sex chromatin constitution, and biochemical measurement of seminal nucleic acid (DNA/RNA) were undertaken. Sibs and Kins of infertile varicocele patients showed various developmental anomalies particularly of the genito-crural area. cocele formation while the gonads develop in the normal line. Such condition may be represented in fertile men with clinically detectable varicocele. In addition, the postulated defective gene in VI patients may interfere as well with the normal development of the mesenchyme-derived interstitial cells of Leydig. Defective testicular steroid hormone biosynthesis thus obtained may explain the reported decrease in androgen level in peripheral blood, sexual impotentia and accessory genital gland dysfunction (Raboch and Starka - 1971; Comhaire and Vermeulen - 1975). Moreover, being androgen dependent (Lacy - 1973), spermatogenesis may display abnormal patterns due to lowered intratesticular androgen concentration (Rodriguez-Rigau et al. - 1978). The outcome and severity of spermatogenic derangement may depend partially on the severity of disordered androgen biosynthesis. The present work showed significant decrease in sperm count, motility, normal forms and nucleic acid content (DNA and RNA) of the seminal fluid in VI patients. The decrease in the amount of DNA per millilitre of seminal fluid in VI patients may be explained by the decrease in sperm population (oligozoospermia). The decrease in the amount of RNA per millilitre of seminal fluid in VI patients may be due to the total decrease in cellular content of the seminal fluid.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D010375:Pedigree; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis; D012661:Semen / Q000032:analysis; D012728:Sex Chromatin / Q000032:analysis; D014646:Varicocele / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA