Assessment of sex chromosome aneuploidy in sperm nuclei from 47,XXY and 46,XY/47,XXY males:: comparison with fertile and infertile males with normal karyotype

Sex chromosome aneuploidy was assessed in spermatozoa from a 47,XXY male and a 46,XY/47,XXY male using three colour fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) and compared with two control groups. The first group included subjects of proven fertility and the second infertile males with normal constitutional karyotype. The frequencies of XX and YY disomic, XY hyperhaploid and diploid spermatozoa were significantly increased in the 47,XXY male compared to subjects from the two control groups (P < 0.0001). For the 46,XY/47,XXY sample, the same results were observed, except that the incidence of YY disomic spermatozoa did not differ significantly from the rate obtained in infertile patients. The frequency of sex chromosome aneuploidy did not differ significantly between the 47,XXY and the 46,XY/47,XXY males, except for XX disomic sperm nuclei which was higher in the 47,XXY patient. The frequency of chromosome 12 disomy was also increased in the two XXY individuals (0.42 and 0.49% respectively; P < 0.0001). The meiotic abnormalities observed in the two XXY patients arose through segregation errors in XY germ cells. The increased number of meiotic nondisjunctions observed in the germ cells of infertile males may be a common feature of the deficient oligo- or azoospermic testis. Patients with Klinefelter's syndrome with oligozoospermia have an increased risk of both sex chromosome and autosome aneuploidy in their progeny.