ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Study on Y chromosomal AZF region deletions in Slovak population, application of DNA technique. DESIGN: Genetic-prospective study. SETTING: Institute of Medical Biology, Genetics and Clinical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava. METHODS: For detecting microdeletions in the Y-chromosomal AZF region in men with fertility disorders and for identifying Y-specific sequences we used the method of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with using three different sets of sY sequences. For a verification of the specific type of deletion we used also fluorescently labeled kit. RESULTS: Diagnoses of referred patients were divided into 2 groups: azoospermia, oligospermia. In the followed-up group of 822 patients there were 349 patients with azoospermia, 473 patients with oligospermia. Globally we reported 38 cases of deletions in the AZF region of the Y chromosome, i.e. 4.62%. 24 patients with deletion are from the group of patients with azoospermia, i.e. 6.88%, 14 patients are from the group of patients with oligospermia (2.95%). Considering particular types of deletions we recorded deletions in each region, AZFa, AZFb and AZFc, combinated AZFbc deletion, but also a complete deletion of the whole AZF region. CONCLUSION: The study confirmed that detection of microdeletions of the AZF region is significant from diagnostic and prognostic view and it pointed out the importance of selection criteria for selecting patients.
