Y chromosome microdeletions in Tunisian infertile males.
OBJECTIVE
To determine frequency of Y microdeletions in azoospermic and oligospermic Tunisian infertile males.


METHODS
A Sample of 146 Tunisian infertile males with a low sperm count (<5 x 10(6) sperms per mililiter) and normal karyotype was screened for Y chromosome microdeletions. 76 men were azoospermic and 70 men were oligospermic. Genomic DNA was isolated from blood and multiplex PCR was carried out with a set of 20 AZFa, AZFb and AZFc STS markers to detect the microdeletions as recommended by the European Academy of Andrology.


RESULTS
In 10/146 (6.85%) subjects AZF deletions were observed. Of these ten males with microdeletions, 9/10 subjects were azoospermic (90%), 1/10 was oligospermic (10%). Frequency of microdeletions in azoospermic men was 9/76 (11.84%). None of the patients showed isolated microdeletion in the AZFa region, but one azoospermic man had deletion in the AZFb region. Eight azoospermic patients and one oligospremic man have AZFc microdeletions. AZFc and AZFb were deleted in three azoospermic patients. AZFc, AZFb and AZFa were deleted in three azoospermic patients We estimate the sensitivity of the test comprising six STS in our sample to be 90%.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of Yq microdeletions in the study population of infertile Tunisian men falls within the range published in other countries. We suggest to analyze 9STS in the first step to detect efficiently Y microdeletions in our population.
Rejeb
I
I
Human genetics laboratory, Faculty of medicine Tunis, La Rabta, 15th Street Jebel-Lakhdhar La Rabta, Tunis, Tunisia.
M'rad
R
R
Maazoul
F
F
Trabelsi
M
M
Ben Jemaa
L
L
Chaabouni
M
M
Zhioua
F
F
Chaabouni
H
H
D053713:Azoospermia / Q000235:genetics; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D041322:Chromosomes, Human, Y; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014416:Tunisia
D005819:Genetic Markers; D004247:DNA