Preliminary FISH studies on spermatozoa and embryos in patients with variable degrees of teratozoospermia and a history of poor prognosis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse to what extent sperm aneuploidy is associated with sperm morphology and subsequently with embryo aneuploidy. Fifty-nine men with variable degrees of teratozoospermia and previously poor assisted reproduction prognosis were included in the study. Samples from 10 normozoospermic men with proven fertility were used as controls. Individual spermatozoa were scored for chromosomes 13, 21 and for 18, X, Y separately. Compared with controls, 23 out of 59 cases (39.0%) were found to have increased sperm aneuploidy for at least one of the chromosomes analysed in a treatment cycle. Fifty-two patients underwent a treatment cycle and were documented according to the pregnancy and spermatozoa fluorescence in-situ hybridization results. A total of 121 previous unsuccessful assisted reproduction cycles of the cases were then retrospectively reviewed. In 23 of the latest cycles, preimplantation genetic diagnosis was applied to 106 cleavage stage embryos and 47 of 94 embryos analysed (50.0%) were found to be chromosomally abnormal. Furthermore, 16 of 47 (34.0%) embryos with chromosomal abnormality were carrying complex chromosomal defects. The results imply that increased aneuploidy is present in both spermatozoa and embryos in couples with severe male infertility with a history of repeated unsuccessful attempts. Therefore, proper genetic counselling should be considered in these cases.

Male age influences oocyte-donor program results

“…We observed a clear tendency to a reduction in early embryo development and pregnancy rates with increasing age, possibly as a result of changes in sperm morphology. It is very well known, that very severe sperm morphological defects (for example macrocephalic sperm or severely amorphous head morphology) may affect the quality of embryos, as they have a high rate of chromosomal abnormalities [17]. A significant majority of the successful in our pregnant group resulted from younger males, who also had better sperm parameters and speculatively gave a happier choice of higher quality embryos than those of the older males in the non-pregnant group.…”

Implication of sperm chromosomal abnormalities in recurrent abortion and multiple implantation failure

“…This fact removed the emphasis on performing FISH before PGD. On the other hand, PGD had an important role, as it was effective in eliminating the chromosomally abnormal embryos and allowing viable pregnancies (Kahraman et al, 2006).…”

“…There are few studies dealing with cytogenetic sperm analysis in the case of repeated abortion or implantation failure (Kahraman et al, 2006). Most state that the risk of these events is increased in the presence of chromosomal abnormalities in spermatozoa (Bernardini et al, 2004;Carrell et al, 2003;Rubio et al, 2001).…”

Sperm fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis reveals normal sperm cells for 14;14 homologous male Robertsonian translocation carrier

“…All procedures including fixation, pretreatment, probe application, hybridization, and washing steps were carried out as described elsewhere (8). Hybridization was performed for two different purposes.…”