Subject(s)
Chromosomes, Human, X/genetics , Gene Expression Profiling , Klinefelter Syndrome/genetics , Sequence Analysis, DNA/methods , Alleles , Base Sequence , Calcium Channels, L-Type/genetics , Female , Gene Expression/genetics , Genetic Linkage , Humans , Male , Monoamine Oxidase/genetics , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , Toll-Like Receptor 8/geneticsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to establish the culture conditions required to isolate, identify and expand male germ stem cell-like cells (GSC-LC) from the testicular tissue of patients with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). METHODS AND RESULTS: Testicular tissues obtained from patients (two with maturation arrest (MA, n = 2) and Sertoli cell-only syndrome (SCOS, n = 11) were dissociated and plated into gelatin-coated dishes. After 2-4 weeks, cultures from both MA patients (100%) and four SCOS patients (36.3%) exhibited multicellular colonies, which proliferated successfully until passage 10. GSC-LC in the colonies displayed alkaline phosphatase activity, as well as Oct-4 and integrin b1 expression after every passage. After the fifth passage, GSC-LC were differentiated by encapsulation in calcium alginate and further cultivation. At 2 and 6 weeks, cells expressed c-Kit, Scp3, testis-specific histone protein 2B (TH2B), and transition protein (TP)-1. Fluorescence in situ hybridization additionally disclosed a few tetraploid and haploid cells at 6 weeks. Human oocytes were activated in the absence of artificial activation and cleaved after the injection of presumptive spermatids. CONCLUSIONS: Our novel culture system may be useful for diagnosing the existence of germ cells and facilitating the treatment of NOA patients.
Subject(s)
Oligospermia/pathology , Spermatogenesis , Spermatozoa/cytology , Stem Cells/cytology , Testis/pathology , Cell Culture Techniques , Cell Differentiation , Cell Proliferation , Cell Separation , Haploidy , Humans , Integrin beta1/metabolism , Male , Octamer Transcription Factor-3/metabolism , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction , Spermatozoa/growth & development , Spermatozoa/pathology , Stem Cells/metabolism , Stem Cells/pathologyABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To determine whether 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR C677T and A1298C) genotype is associated with male infertility. METHODS: Analysis of cytogenetic, Y chromosomal microdeletion assay (Yq), and the C677T and A1298C polymorphisms of the MTHFR gene by pyrosequencing and PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) method. SAS 8.1 assessed the statistical risk of MTHFR genotype. RESULTS: The homozygous (T/T) C677T polymorphism of the MTHFR gene was present at a statistically high significance in unexplained infertile men with normal karyotype, instead at no significance in explained infertile men with chromosomal abnormality or Y chromosome deletion. There was no statistically significance of A1298C variation in infertile males. CONCLUSIONS: The MTHFR 677TT genotype may be a genetic risk factor for male infertility, especially with severe OAT and non-obstructive azoospermia in unexplained infertile males.
Subject(s)
Genetic Predisposition to Disease/genetics , Infertility, Male/genetics , Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)/genetics , Polymorphism, Genetic , Chromosomes, Human, Y/genetics , Genotype , Humans , Male , Point Mutation , Sequence Analysis, DNAABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To report two azoospermic patients with reciprocal X-autosome translocations. METHODS: Cytogenetic analysis utilizing GTG-banding and Yq microdeletions shown by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with 12 sequence-tagged site (STS) markers for Y chromosome microdeletions. RESULTS: Cytogenetic analysis showed one man with 46,Y,t(X;19)(q22;q13.3) and the other with 46,Y,t(X;8)(p22;q11). Neither had any Yq microdeletions shown. The patient with 46,Y, t(X;8)(p22;q11) showed a slightly lower than normal testosterone level. By NCBI-Blast search, we found four testis-specific genes, t-complex-associated-testis-expressed 1-like (TCTE1L), Ferritin, heavy polypeptide-like 17 (FTHL17), Testis expressed sequence 13A (TEX13A), and Testis expressed sequence 13B (TEX13B) located near breakpoints on X chromosome. FTHL17, TEX13A, and TEX13B are spermatogonially-expressed, germ-cell-specific genes. CONCLUSION: This is the first clinical report of azoospermia with reciprocal X-autosome translocations on Xp22 and q22. These translocations on Xp22 and q22 may be direct genetic risk factors for azoospermia.