Characteristics of spermatogenesis in infertile men with the AZFc region deletions

Abstract

Spermatogenetic defects were analyzed in the cohort of 218 russian infertile men with various AZFc region deletions of the Y chromosome. Clear differences were found in both the percentage of pathozoospermia forms and sperm concentration between infertile men with complete (b2/b4) and partial (b2/b3 and gr/gr) AZFc deletions. Sperm concentration in the carriers of b2/b4, gr/gr and b2/b3 deletions, were 0.37 ± 0.13, 12.2 ± 7.1 and 30.3 ± 5.3 mln/ml, respectively. Severe spermatogenesis defects were detected in 93, 42 and 57 % patients with b2/b4, b2/b3 and gr/gr deletions, respectively. Quantitative karyological analysis of immature germ cells from ejaculate sediment revealed from incomplete spermatogenesis arrest at prepaсhytene stages to complete spermatogenesis depletion. Moderate oligozoospemia and/or astheno-, teratozoospermia were found in 7; 20; 30 %; and 0; 38; 10 % of the carriers of b2/b4, b2/b3 and gr/gr deletions, respectively.

Keywords

• male infertility
• spermatogenesis
• Y chromosome
• AZF locus
• microdeletions