Evaluation of the role of mitotic instability in karyotypically normal men with oligozoospermia.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the incidence of sex chromosome aneuploidies in the somatic cells of karyotypically normal infertile men and fertile donors.


METHODS
A prospective, two-phase, controlled study.


METHODS
Reproductive medicine and medical genetics units of a teaching hospital.


METHODS
Ten patients with oligozoospermia and 10 sperm donors with proved fertility, all with a normal karyotype 46 XY.


METHODS
Multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of peripheral blood lymphocytes using a probe cocktail containing the alpha satellites DXZ1 for the X centromere and DYZ1 for the heterochromatic region of the long arm of the Y and the radiolabeled alpha satellite D18Z1 for chromosome 18.


METHODS
The incidence of sex chromosome aneuploidies in both groups.


RESULTS
A 13-fold increase in sex chromosome aneuploidies was observed in the somatic cells of infertile men with "unexplained" oligozoospermia compared to donors (P=.008).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings provide suggestive evidence for the existence of an inherent mitotic instability in men with unexplained oligozoospermia.
Gazvani
M R
MR
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Liverpool Women's Hospital, United Kingdom.
Wilson
E D
ED
Richmond
D H
DH
Howard
P J
PJ
Kingsland
C R
CR
Lewis-Jones
D I
DI
D000328:Adult; D000782:Aneuploidy; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007621:Karyotyping; D008297:Male; D008938:Mitosis; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000235:genetics*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012730:Sex Chromosomes; D014019:Tissue Donors