[Clinical and genetic features of 45,X maleness: A case report and review of the literature].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between the clinical and genetic features of a short-statured azoospermia male with the karyotype of 45,X. METHODS: Using GTG-banded chromosome analysis, we performed karyotyping for a 150 cm-high infertile male with azoospermia and investigated the presence and location of the genes on the Y chromosome by FISH and PCR. RESULTS: GTG-banded chromosome analysis showed the karyotype of the patient to be 45,X,add(14)(p11). The results of PCR manifested the deletion of AZFa, AZFb, AZFc, and AZFd in the SRY gene. FISH revealed the translocation of the short arm of the Y chromosome to that of chromosome 14 and deletion of most proportions of its long arm, with the disruption site close to the centromere region. The karyotype of the patient was 45,X,der(Y)t(Y;14)(q11;q11.2), 14.ish (SRY+, CEP Y+ , DYZ1－). CONCLUSIONS: The karyotype of the patient was unbalanced Y/14 translocation. The SRY gene is the key to maleness. The deletion of AZFa－ d induces spermatogenic disturbance, and the deletion of the q arm of the Y chromosome may be related with short stature.

[Mutation of KLHL-10 in idiopathic infertile males with azoospermia, oligospermia or asthenospermia].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship of the mutation of the spermatogenesis-associated gene KLHL-10 with azoospermia, oligospermia and asthenospermia. METHODS: Genomic DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood samples of 325 patients with idiopathic azoospermia (n = 11), oligozoospermia (n = 196) or asthenospermia (n = 118) and 100 fertile male controls. KLHL-10 mutations were detected for all the DNA specimens by PCR, DHPLC and sequencing techniques. RESULTS: A novel heterozygous mutation (C88 --> A) was identified in exon 1 from 1 oligospermia patient and 3 fertile male controls and another one (C424 --> A) confirmed in exon 2 from 4 fertile controls, 3 oligospermia patients and 1 asthenospermia man. Both of the mutations were synonymous, but neither missense mutation nor microdeletion of the KLHL-10 gene was found. CONCLUSION: The KLHL-10 gene is not a major contributor to azoospermia, oligospermia or asthenospermia in Chinese population. The value of this gene in the diagnosis of male infertility remains to be further investigated.

A newly discovered mutation in PICK1 in a human with globozoospermia.

Globozoospermia is a human infertility syndrome caused by spermatogenesis defects (OMIM 102530). Acrosome plays an important role at the site of sperm-zonapellucida binding during the fertilization process. Thus, malformation of the acrosome is the most prominent feature seen in globozoospermia. Disruption of several mouse genes, including Gopc (Golgi-associated PDZ and coiled-coil motif containing protein), Hrb (HIV-1 Rev binding protein), Csnk2a2 (casein kinase 2, alpha prime polypeptide) and Pick1 (protein interacting with C kinase 1), results in a phenotype similar to globozoospermia in humans, which suggests their potential role in the disease. However, no mutations with a clear link to globozoospermia have been identified in these genes in humans. In this study, we screened the candidate genes mentioned above in three globozoospermia type I patients and discovered a homozygous missense mutation (G198A) in exon 13 of the PICK1 gene in a Chinese family. The family member affected by this homozygous missense mutation showed a complete lack of acrosome. Using the candidate gene screening strategy, our study is the first to identify an autosomal recessive genetic mutation in PICK1 that was responsible for globozoospermia in humans.