title: First study of microdeletions in the Y chromosome of Algerian infertile men with idiopathic oligo- or azoospermia.
abstract: The human Y chromosome is essential for human sex determination and spermatogenesis. The long arm contains the azoospermia factor (AZF) region. Microdeletions in this region are responsible for male infertility. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of Y microdeletions in Algerian infertile males with azoospermia and oligoasthenoteratozoospermia syndrome (OATS) and to compare the prevalence of these abnormalities with other countries and regions worldwide. A sample of 80 Algerian infertile males with a low sperm count (1-20 × 10(6) sperms/ml) as well as 20 fertile male controls was screened for Y chromosome microdeletions. 49 men were azoospermic and 31 men had OATS. Genomic DNA was isolated from blood and polymerase chain reaction was carried out with a set of 6 AZFa, AZFb and AZFc STS markers to detect the microdeletions as recommended by the European Academy of Andrology. Among the 80 infertile men screened for microdeletion, 1 subject was found to have microdeletions in the AZFc (sY254 and sY255) region. The deletion was found in azoospermic subjects (1/49, 2%). The overall AZF deletion frequency was low (1/80, 1.3%). AZF microdeletions were observed neither in the OATS group nor in the control group. The frequency of AZF microdeletions in infertile men from Algeria was comparable to those reported in the literature. We suggest analyzing 6 STS in the first step to detect Y microdeletions in our population.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biology and Molecular Genetics, Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Natural and Life Science, University of Mentouri, Constantine, Algeria. rezgounedj@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Djalila
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chellat
authors.forename: Mohamed Larbi
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Rezgoune
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McElreavey
authors.forename: Naouel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kherouatou
authors.forename: Sebti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Benbouhadja
authors.forename: Hamane
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Douadi
authors.forename: Benlatrèche
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cherifa
authors.forename: Noureddine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abadi
authors.forename: Dalila
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Satta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000462:Algeria; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D041322:Chromosomes, Human, Y / Q000235:genetics; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics*; D050174:Genetic Diseases, Y-Linked / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010641:Phenotype; D012729:Sex Chromosome Aberrations; D058533:Sex Chromosome Disorders of Sex Development / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000473:pathology