• PMID: 11675467
• Gene Name: DAZL
• Condition: Azoospermia
• Association: This study suggests that DAZL may play an important role in the human spermatogenic processes of both mitosis and meiosis.
• Population size: 17
• Population details: 17 (4 normal spermatogenesis, 6 hypospermatogenesis or maturation arrest, 7 Sertoli cell-only syndrome)
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Other associated phenotypes: Azoospermia

Expression patterns and transcript concentrations of the autosomal DAZL gene in testes of azoospermic men

Lin YM, Chen CW, Sun HS, Tsai SJ, Hsu CC, Teng YN, Lin JS, Kuo PL.

The DAZ (Deleted in AZoospermia) gene cluster on the Y chromosome is a strong candidate for the azoospermia factor. The DAZ gene was derived from an autosomal homologue, DAZL (DAZ-Like). This study was designed to assess the functional role of DAZL in human spermatogenesis. The expression patterns and mRNA transcript levels of DAZL in the testes of 17 azoospermic men were therefore examined by immunohistochemical staining and quantitative competitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. DAZL protein was expressed in the cytoplasm of primary spermatocytes and weakly in spermatogonia. It was detected in the testicular tissues of all subjects with germ cells present. The copy number of the DAZL transcript in normal spermatogenesis (n = 4), hypospermatogenesis or maturation arrest (n = 6), and Sertoli cell-only syndrome (n = 7) ranged from 1.22 x 10(6) to 1.63 x 10(6) per ng of RNA, 1.19 x 10(5) to 2.82 x 10(5) per ng of RNA and 2.83 x 10(4) to 1.23 x 10(5) per ng of RNA respectively. DAZL transcripts were lower in men with spermatogenic failure, and a significant difference was found between the three groups (P < 0.0001). This study suggests that DAZL may play an important role in the human spermatogenic processes of both mitosis and meiosis. FAU - Lin, Y M AU - Lin YM AD - Department of Urology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, College of Medicine, 138 Sheng-Li Road, Tainan, Taiwan 704. FAU - Chen, C W AU - Chen CW FAU - Sun, H S AU - Sun HS FAU - Tsai, S J AU - Tsai SJ FAU - Hsu, C C AU - Hsu CC FAU - Teng, Y N AU - Teng YN FAU - Lin, J S AU - Lin JS