MOLECULAR GENETIC STUDIES IN SEVERE IDIOPATHIC OLIGO., ASTHENO., TERATO ZOOSPERMIA

Abstract

Approximately 15% of couples can not conceive a child after l year of regular unprotected intercourse. In about half of cases, sperm production is defective, either quantitatively or qualitatively. Approximately one third to one half of these cases is classified as idiopathic, but they may have an unidentified genetic anomaly. The recent progress in molecular biology and Y chromosome mapping has rendered the analysis of Y chromosome microdeletions in infertile men a diagnostic step. Microdeletions of Yq have been used to define three non overlapping regions associated with a failure of spermatogenesis, termed AZFa, AZFb, and AZFc. This aim ofthe study was: 1. To identify the role ofY chromosome microdeletions (Y chromosome long arm) in the peripheral blood lymphocytes in males with severe idiopathic oligoozospermia. 2. Also, to correlate between the hormonal and seminal parameters, with the presence of Y chromosome microdeletions. This study was conducted on 50 infertile male subjects with severe oligozoospermia (sperm count<5 million/ml) and 10 fertile male subjects enrolled as controls with normal sperm count and function. Those subjects were classified into three main groups; group I (control group), group II (infertile males with Y chromosome microdeletions proved by real time PCR), group III (infertile males without Y chromosome microdeletions proved by real time PCR).