title: Cytogenetic and molecular aspects of absolute teratozoospermia: comparison between polymorphic and monomorphic forms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the results of cytogenetic and molecular analysis between absolute polymorphic and monomorphic teratozoospermia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The semen samples from patients with polymorphic teratozoospermia (n = 20), globozoospermia (n = 8), or macrocephalic sperm head syndrome (n = 12), and healthy fertile men (n = 20) were analyzed according to the World Health Organization criteria. The constitutional blood karyotype of the patients was performed on cultured lymphocytes, according to standard techniques. Microdeletion analysis of the Y chromosomes used a sequence tagged site-polymerase chain reaction technique. Triple-color fluorescent in situ hybridization for chromosomes X, Y, and 18 were used to analyze the meiotic segregation. DNA fragmentation was detected using the terminal desoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate biotin nick-end labeling assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Whatever the type of teratozoospermia, a normal karyotype and an absence of Y chromosome microdeletion were shown for all patients. A significant increase in the sperm aneuploidy rate and DNA fragmentation were shown, regardless of the type of teratozoospermia. Spermatozoa of the patients with globozoospermia carry an abnormal chromosomal constitution and DNA damage rate with the same frequency as that found in the sperm of patients with absolute polymorphic teratozoospermia. However, a greater sperm aneuploidy rate and DNA fragmentation were found in patients whose teratozoospermia was mainly characterized by increased rates of spermatozoa with macrocephalic head and multiple flagella.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data have demonstrated that DNA fragmentation and sperm aneuploidy are critical tests in teratozoospermic men, because the results could negatively affect the intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes and might play an important role in the counseling of couples considering intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cytogenetic and Reproductive Biology, Farhat Hached University Teaching Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia. brahemsonia@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brahem
authors.forename: Hatem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Elghezal
authors.forename: Houda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ghédir
authors.forename: Hanène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Landolsi
authors.forename: Abdelbacett
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amara
authors.forename: Samira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ibala
authors.forename: Moez
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gribaa
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saad
authors.forename: Meriem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehdi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000782:Aneuploidy; D041322:Chromosomes, Human, Y; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D059785:Karyotype; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000473:pathology*