Meiotic Chromosome Behavior in a Human Male t(8;15) Carrier

Reciprocal translocation is one of the most common structural chromosomal rearrangements in human beings; it is widely recognized to be associated with male infertility. This association is mainly based on the abnormal chromosome behavior of the translocated chromosomes and sex chromosomes during meiosis prophase I in reciprocal translocation carriers. However, the underlying mechanisms are not completely known. Here we report a reciprocal translocation carrier of t(8;15), who is oligozoospermic due to apoptosis of primary spermatocytes and to premature germ cell desquamation from seminiferous tubules. Further analysis showed abnormal synapsis and recombination frequency in this patient, indicating a connection between chromosome behavior and apoptosis of primary spermatocytes. We also compared these observations with recently reported findings on spermatogenesis defects in reciprocal translocation carriers, and discuss the possible mechanisms underlying both common and unique phenotypes of reciprocal translocations involving different chromosomes with the aim of further understanding the regulation of human spermatogenesis.