Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) consists of the direct injection of a single entire spermatozoon into the oocyte. Even though this technique has been first applied to humans only in 1992, it is now routinely used worldwide and has resulted in thousands of pregnancies. To determine whether ICSI causes an alteration of the pattern of inheritance of mtDNA, we analysed the mtDNAs from three Italian families and their five children (one each for families A and B, and triplets for family C) who were born as a result of ICSI using mature spermatozoa, because of severe oligoasthenozoospermia in the three males. The results of our study are in agreement with those obtained recently by Houshmand et al. (1997), and indicate that the pattern of inheritance of mtDNA is not altered in ICSI-aided pregnancies, thus ameliorating at least one of the many genetic worries caused by the use of this technique. However, these results should also be taken with some caution. We have analysed four different tissues from only five children. In addition, we have analysed children generated from mature spermatozoa. ICSI is now also performed by injection of spermatids or even less mature germ line cells and very little is known about the features of mitochondria in these cell types. Overall, we suggest that these additional applications of the ICSI technique are closely scrutinized for alteration in the pattern of mtDNA inheritance before further extending their use.

Intracytoplasmic injection of spermatozoa does not appear to alter the mode of mitochondrial DNA inheritance

TORRONI, ANTONIO;RENGO, CHIARA;
1998-01-01

Abstract

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) consists of the direct injection of a single entire spermatozoon into the oocyte. Even though this technique has been first applied to humans only in 1992, it is now routinely used worldwide and has resulted in thousands of pregnancies. To determine whether ICSI causes an alteration of the pattern of inheritance of mtDNA, we analysed the mtDNAs from three Italian families and their five children (one each for families A and B, and triplets for family C) who were born as a result of ICSI using mature spermatozoa, because of severe oligoasthenozoospermia in the three males. The results of our study are in agreement with those obtained recently by Houshmand et al. (1997), and indicate that the pattern of inheritance of mtDNA is not altered in ICSI-aided pregnancies, thus ameliorating at least one of the many genetic worries caused by the use of this technique. However, these results should also be taken with some caution. We have analysed four different tissues from only five children. In addition, we have analysed children generated from mature spermatozoa. ICSI is now also performed by injection of spermatids or even less mature germ line cells and very little is known about the features of mitochondria in these cell types. Overall, we suggest that these additional applications of the ICSI technique are closely scrutinized for alteration in the pattern of mtDNA inheritance before further extending their use.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11571/119957
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