title: A novel universal multiplex PCR improves detection of AZFc Y-chromosome microdeletions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequencies and the characteristics of Y chromosome microdeletions (pl) in infertile men from central China to perform appropriate therapeutic choices by updated multiplex-PCR.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we established a novel universal primer-multiplex-PCR (U-M-PCR) method to overcome the disadvantages of traditional multiplex PCR (M-PCR). We chose 15 sequence-tagged sites (STS) for detection of Y chromosome microdeletions. 540 infertile male patients and 100 healthy male controls were selected in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 540 male infertility patients, 48 Y-chromosome microdeletions were detected, with a total deletion rate of 8.9 %. Of these deletions, the rate of AZFa deletions (sY84) was 0.5 % (3/540), the rate of AZFb deletions (sY143) was 0.7 % (4/540) and the rate of AZFc deletions (sY242, sY254 and sY255) was 7.6 % (41/540). Compared with AZF deletion rates by M-PCR, we found U-M-PCR could detect AZFc deletion more specifically (1.0 % & 7.6 %). No Y-chromosome microdeletions were detected in the 100 males with normal semen (the control group).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  U-M-PCR method was more specific to detect AZFc microdeletions. It is necessary to use the U-M-PCR method to offer genetic screening and counseling to infertile men prior to intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) or in-vitro fertilization (IVF).
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hong-Yun
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Fu-Jin
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Yong-Qing
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Tong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D041322:Chromosomes, Human, Y / Q000235:genetics; D017931:DNA Primers; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male; D008297:Male; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D016324:Sequence Tagged Sites; D012729:Sex Chromosome Aberrations; D058533:Sex Chromosome Disorders of Sex Development / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers