Microdeletions in the Y chromosome of patients with idiopathic azoospermia.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the occurrence and prevalence of microdeletions in the gamma chromosome of patients with azoospermia.


METHODS
DNA from 29 men with idiopathic azoospermia was screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis with a set of gamma chromosome specific sequence-tagged sites (STSs) to determine microdeletions in the gamma chromosome.


RESULTS
Deletions in the DAZ (deleted in azoospermia) loci sgamma254 and sgamma255 were found in three patients with idiopathic azoospermia, resulting in an estimated frequency of deletions of 10.7% in idiopathic azoospermia men.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that PCR analysis is useful for the diagnosis of microdeletions in the Y chromosome, which is important when deciding the suitability of a patient for assisted reproductive technology such as testicular sperm extracion-intracytoplasmic sperm injection (TESE-ICSI).
Shimizu
Akiyuki
A
Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
Ichikawa
Tomohiko
T
Suzuki
Noriyuki
N
Yamazaki
Takako
T
Imamoto
Takashi
T
Kojima
Satoko
S
Naya
Yukio
Y
Komiya
Akira
A
Suzuki
Hiroyoshi
H
Nagao
Koichi
K
Miura
Kazukiyo
K
Ito
Haruo
H
D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D041322:Chromosomes, Human, Y; D017931:DNA Primers; D022041:Euchromatin / Q000235:genetics; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D017384:Sequence Deletion / Q000235:genetics*; D016324:Sequence Tagged Sites; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D017931:DNA Primers; D022041:Euchromatin; D006570:Heterochromatin; D013739:Testosterone; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone