• PMID: 10856465
• Gene Name: DAZ1
• Condition: Infertility
• Association: The study concludes that germ cell–speci?c expression of the DAZ,PGK2, and protamine-2 genes was detected in patients with various spermatogenic defects. The expression pattern of the protamine-2 gene in particular may be highly ef?cient in predicting suc
• Population size: 58
• Age: Mean age :34 , Range: 27-52
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Associated genes: PGK2,Protamine-2
• Other associated phenotypes: Azoospermia, severe oligozoospermia

Expression pattern of germ cell-specific genes in the testis of patients with nonobstructive azoospermia: usefulness as a molecular marker to predict the presence of testicular sperm

Song GJ, Lee H, Park Y, Lee HJ, Lee YS, Seo JT, Kang IS.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the expression pattern of testis-specific genes of patients with various spermatogenic defects and their usefulness as a molecular marker to predict the presence of testicular spermatozoa in patients with nonobstructive azoospermia undergoing IVF. DESIGN: Prospective, controlled study. SETTING: Hospital-based infertility research laboratory. PATIENT(S): Fifty-eight men with azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia. INTERVENTION(S): Testicular biopsy was done in the patients with obstructive or nonobstructive azoospermia, including Sertoli cell-only syndrome, maturation arrest, severe hypospermatogenesis, and normal spermatogenesis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was performed using 1 microgram of total RNA extracted from testicular tissues. Three pairs of primers were used for amplification of male germ cell-specific genes (DAZ, transcribed in male germ cells; PGK2, in late spermatocytes and spermatids; protamine-2, in spermatids) as molecular markers. Testicular sperm was obtained by multiple testicular sperm extraction. RESULT(S): The DAZ, PGK2, and protamine-2 genes were expressed in 38, 30, and 21 of the 43 patients with nonobstructive azoospermia, respectively. Testicular spermatozoa were successfully extracted in 4 of 43 patients with nonobstructive azoospermia with the use of multiple testicular sperm extraction. Detection of protamine-2 transcripts predicted the presence or absence of spermatozoa in the testicular tissue in 39 of 43 patients (91%). CONCLUSION(S): Expression of the protamine-2 gene may be a useful molecular marker to predict the presence of testicular sperm in patients with nonobstructive azoospermia. FAU - Song, G J AU - Song GJ AD - Samsung Cheil Hospital and Women's Health Care Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea, South Korea. phdsong@samsung.co.kr FAU - Lee, H AU - Lee H FAU - Park, Y AU - Park Y FAU - Lee, H J AU - Lee HJ FAU - Lee, Y S AU - Lee YS FAU - Seo, J T AU - Seo JT