title: A new molecular diagnostic approach to assess Y chromosome microdeletions in infertile men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A key cause of spermatogenetic failure in infertile males is microdeletions in the azoospermia factor (AZF) regions of the Y chromosome. This study screened for microdeletions in the AZF regions using suspension array technology and compared the results with those from polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with spermatogenetic failure (n=507) and healthy control sperm donors (n=100) were recruited. DNA samples were analysed using both multiplex PCR with gel electrophoresis and suspension array technology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The suspension array method identified 45 infertile males with Y chromosome microdeletions, while none was found in the controls. Amongst the AZF subregions, two cases had deletions in AZFa, three in AZFb, 35 in AZFc, three in AZFbc and two in AZFabc. The results from 507 patients were identical when analysed with either suspension array or multiplex PCR, however suspension array technology offered improved sensitivity, may be more accurate and could give time and cost savings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Suspension array technology offers a rapid and high-throughput method for Y chromosome microdeletion screening in infertile men.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: X-F
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: X-B
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: H-L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: F-M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Q-L
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.forename: Y-R
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D041322:Chromosomes, Human, Y / Q000235:genetics*; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005453:Fluorescence; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics; D012729:Sex Chromosome Aberrations; D058533:Sex Chromosome Disorders of Sex Development / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*