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Genetic Abnormalities among Severely Oligospermic Men Who Are Candidates for Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection

Department of Histology, Microbiology, and Medical Biotechnologies, Center for Male Gamete Cryopreservation, University of Padova, 35121 Padova, Italy

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Prof. Carlo Foresta, Department of Histology, Microbiology, and Medical Biotechnologies, Center for Male Gamete Cryopreservation, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 63, 35121 Padova, Italy. E-mail: carlo.foresta{at}unipd.it.

Recent reports suggest that children born after intracytoplasmic sperm injection performed for male factor infertility are at increased risk of congenital malformations and chromosome aberrations. To explain these observations, we hypothesized that infertile men may be more likely than fertile men to have genetic abnormalities. We studied 750 severely oligozoospermic men (sperm count <5 million/ml) who were candidates for intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and 303 fertile men. We analyzed the peripheral blood karyotype, the Y chromosome long arm for detection of microdeletions in the azoospermia factors, and mutations in the cystic fibrosis gene and the androgen receptor gene. We also analyzed sperm for chromosome aneuploidies among the 421 men who subsequently entered the in vitro fertilization program. A total of 104 genetic abnormalities were diagnosed, corresponding to a frequency of 13.9% (104 of 750). Chromosomal aberrations were present in 5.6% (42 of 750) of infertile men and 0.3% of controls (one of 295), and they were in most cases alterations of the sex chromosomes. Y chromosome long-arm microdeletions were detected in 6.0% (45 of 750) of infertile men and most frequently included the azoospermia factor c, whereas no cases were found in controls (zero of 210). Mutations in the cystic fibrosis gene were diagnosed in 1.2% (nine of 750) of infertile men and 1.0% of controls (three of 303), and mutations in the androgen receptor gene were found in 1.1% (eight of 750) of infertile men and none of the 188 controls. Sperm sex chromosome aneuploidies were increased in men with karyotype anomalies and Y chromosome microdeletions as well as in subjects without constitutional genetic abnormalities. This study shows that the frequency of genetic alterations is increased among men with severe spermatogenic impairment. Genetic tests and genetic counseling should therefore be considered in oligozoospermic men who are candidates for intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

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