Cytogenetic and Y Chromosome Microdeletions in Patients with Azoospermia and Severe Oligozoospermia

Objective To investigate the relationship between chromosome abnormalities and Y chromosome microdeletion of azoospermia factor(AZF) in patients with azoospermia and oligozoospermia.Methods Both routine periphearl blood lymphocytes cytogenetic analysis and detection of AZF region microdeletion of Y chromosome by multiplex PCR were carried out in 136 infertile men,including 98 patients with azoospermia,24 patients with oligozoospermia and 14 patients with sever oligozoospemia.Results Chromosomal abnormalities were found in 34(25%) cases including 27 azoospermia,3 oligozoospermia and 4 severe oligozoospermia.Microdeletions in AZF region were found in 9(6.6%) cases.The incidence of AZF microdeletion was 5.1% and 1.5% in patients with azoospermia and severe oligozoospermia respectively.Conclusion The findings indicated that chromosomal abnormality and AZF microdeletion might be important genetic causes for male infertility.AZF microdeletion might be associated with Y chromosome abnormalities.