Detection of Y chromosome microdeletions in AZF region by liquid chip technology]

OBJECTIVE: To establish a liquid chip technology to detect Y chromosome microdeletions in Chinese infertile males with azoospermia or oligozoospermia. METHODS: Multiplex PCR and liquid chip technology were used to detect the Y chromosome microdeletions in AZF region in 178 infertile patients with azoospermia and 134 infertile patients with oligozoospermia as well as 40 fertile control men. RESULTS: Forty out of 312 patients (12.8%) were found to have deletions in AZF region. The microdeletion frequency was 14%(25/178) in the azoospermic group, 9.6%(11/114) in the oligospermic and 20%(4/20) in the severe oligospermic group. CONCLUSION: The authors developed a high-throughput, fast and simple assay to screen the AZF region microdeletions of Y chromosome.