Use of a highly sensitive quantitative telomerase assay in intracytoplasmic sperm injection programmes for the treatment of 47,XXY non-mosaic Klinefelter men

Andrologia. 2002 Sep;34(4):218-26. doi: 10.1046/j.1439-0272.2002.00498.x.

Abstract

We evaluated the role of the sensitive quantitative telomerase assay (SQTA) in the management of men with non-mosaic Klinefelter's syndrome (KS). Diagnostic testicular biopsy (DTB) was performed in 24 men with KS. A part of the DTB was stained and the remaining fragment was processed for the SQTA. After 3-18 months, a therapeutic testicular biopsy (TTB) was performed in the same testicle and the recovered specimens were processed to identify spermatozoa. Men with a SQTA outcome equal to 0.00 Units microg-1 protein (n = 7) demonstrated therapeutic testicular biopsy material that was negative for spermatogenic cells. In five men with a SQTA outcome of 8.11-38.03 Units microg-1, the most advanced germ cell was the spermatogonium/primary spermatocyte. In the remaining 12 men, the most advanced spermatogenic cell in the TTB was the spermatozoon. In these men, the SQTA outcome was equal to 25.76-92.68 Units microg-1 protein. Using 39.00 Units microg-1 protein as a cut-off value, the accuracy of the SQTA in identifying men positive for spermatozoa was 91.6%. It appears that the SQTA has a role for identifying non-mosaic KS men who have testicular spermatozoa.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biopsy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Karyotyping
  • Klinefelter Syndrome / genetics*
  • Klinefelter Syndrome / therapy
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mosaicism
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic*
  • Telomerase / metabolism*
  • Testis / pathology

Substances

  • Telomerase