This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Vicari, E. Articles by Calogero, A. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Vicari, E. Articles by Calogero, A. E.

Absolute Polymorphic Teratozoospermia in Patients With Oligo-Asthenozoospermia Is Associated With an Elevated Sperm Aneuploidy Rate

MOHAMED ZAHI

From the ^* Section of Endocrinology, Andrology and Internal Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, and Master in Andrological and Human Reproduction Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy, and Private IVF Center of Rabat, Rabat, Morocco.

Correspondence to: Prof Aldo E. Calogero, Cattedra di Endocrinologia, Ospedale Garibaldi, Piazza S. Maria di Gesù, 95123 Catania, Italy (fax: 39-95-310899; e-mail: acaloger{at}unict.it).

Infertile patients with abnormal sperm parameters have an increased sperm aneuploidy rate, despite a normal blood karyotype. The evaluation of sperm chromosome aberrations in patients with teratozoospermia only has shown a rate similar to that found in patients exhibiting oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia, which suggests that teratozoospermia is the critical parameter associated with aneuploidy. However, it is not known which alteration of the sperm morphology is associated with chromosome aberrations. The few cases reported so far have shown an association with the presence of abnormal head morphology and particularly with enlarged heads. We report the sperm aneuploidy rate of 3 patients with oligo-asthenozoospermia who have absolute teratozoospermia (100% abnormal forms) and a different percentage of sperm head abnormalities. Fourteen healthy men with normozoospermia served as control subjects. Sperm aneuploidy and diploidy rates were calculated by using triple-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for chromosomes 12, X, and Y, and double-color FISH was used for chromosomes 8 and 18. Patient K53, who had the highest number of spermatozoa with enlarged heads (54.3%), also had the highest aneuploidy and diploidy rates. The other 2 patients, K56 and K61, had sperm aneuploidy and diploidy rates lower than those of patient K53 but still well above the range found in normal men. Sperm chromosome abnormalities were intermediate in patient K61 and lower in patient K56, who had the lowest rate of spermatozoa with enlarged heads (18.9%). These data add further evidence that patients with teratozoospermia have an increased sperm aneuploidy rate and that this is particularly high in presence of an elevated percentage of spermatozoa with enlarged heads. For this reason, germ cells exhibiting this abnormality should not be used in in vitro fertilization programs.

     Key words: Enlarged sperm head, fluorescence in situ hybridization, male infertility

This article has been cited by other articles:

				V. Achard, O. Paulmyer-Lacroix, G. Mercier, G. Porcu, J. Saias-Magnan, C. Metzler-Guillemain, and M. R. Guichaoua Reproductive Failure in Patients With Various Percentages of Macronuclear Spermatozoa: High Level of Aneuploid and Polyploid Spermatozoa J Androl, July 1, 2007; 28(4): 600 - 606. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Prisant, D. Escalier, J-C. Soufir, M. Morillon, D. Schoevaert, M. Misrahi, and G. Tachdjian Ultrastructural nuclear defects and increased chromosome aneuploidies in spermatozoa with elongated heads Hum. Reprod., April 1, 2007; 22(4): 1052 - 1059. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Donoso, C. Staessen, B.C.J.M. Fauser, and P. Devroey Current value of preimplantation genetic aneuploidy screening in IVF Hum. Reprod. Update, January 1, 2007; 13(1): 15 - 25. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Strassburger, M. Reichart, S. Kaufman, E. Kasterstein, D. Komarovsky, O. Bern, S. Friedler, M. Schachter, R. Ron-El, and A. Raziel Morphology assessment and fluorescence in situ hybridization of the same spermatozoon using a computerized cell-scanning system Hum. Reprod., January 1, 2007; 22(1): 201 - 209. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Berkovitz, F. Eltes, A. Ellenbogen, S. Peer, D. Feldberg, and B. Bartoov Does the presence of nuclear vacuoles in human sperm selected for ICSI affect pregnancy outcome? Hum. Reprod., July 1, 2006; 21(7): 1787 - 1790. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Mateu, L. Rodrigo, N. Prados, M. Gil-Salom, J. Remohi, A. Pellicer, and C. Rubio High Incidence of Chromosomal Abnormalities in Large-Headed and Multiple-Tailed Spermatozoa J Androl, January 1, 2006; 27(1): 6 - 10. [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Hellani, S. Al-Hassan, A. Al-Duraihim, and S. Coskun Y chromosome microdeletions: are they implicated in teratozoospermia? Hum. Reprod., December 1, 2005; 20(12): 3505 - 3509. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Xia, S. Cheng, Q. Bian, L. Xu, M. D. Collins, H. C. Chang, L. Song, J. Liu, S. Wang, and X. Wang Genotoxic Effects on Spermatozoa of Carbaryl-Exposed Workers Toxicol. Sci., May 1, 2005; 85(1): 615 - 623. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Rives, N. Mousset-Simeon, S. Mazurier, and B. Mace Primary Flagellar Abnormality Is Associated With an Increased Rate of Spermatozoa Aneuploidy J Androl, January 1, 2005; 26(1): 61 - 69. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]