Analysis of chromosomal abnormality and Y chromosome microdeletions in Chinese infertile men

Objective To study the relationship between chromosomal abnormality and Y chromosome microdeletions and male infertility. Methods Lymphocytes were cultured from peripheral blood of 1975 male infertility patients and stained with Giemsa. The chromosomes were analyzed under microscope. Y chromosome specific sequence tags (STS) were selected, then the Y chromosome microdeletions in AZF regions were screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in azoospermia and oligozoospermia patients. Results There were 305 cases of detected chromosomal abnormalities (15.44%) in the 1975 cases. There were 101 cases (5.11 %) with autosome abnormalities which clinically manifested as oligozoospermia and teratospermia. There were 204 cases (10. 33%) of sexual chromosome abnormalities and the patients were mainly characterized with Klinefelter's syndrome. Y chromosome microdeletions were detected in 109 (14.97 %) of the 728 cases of azoospermia or oligozoospermia. The most common microdeletion of Y chromosome was AZFc (62.39%) and these patients were characterized with azoospermia and oligozoospermia. Five patients (4. 59%) who suffered Y chromosome microdeletion in AZFa region and AZFb region were characterized with azoospermia. Fifteen cases (13.76%) with microdeletion in AZFb region and AZFc region were mainly characterized with azoospermia. There were 6 cases (5. 50 % ) of microdeletion in AZFa, AZFb and AZFc regions,these patients were all characterized with azoospermia. Conclusions Both Chromosome abnormalities and Y chromosome microdeletions are important causes for male infertility. Key words: Infertility, male;  Chromosome disorders;  Y chromosome microdeletions