Diagnostic Screening for Microdeletion Frequency in the AZF-region of Y- Chromosome among the Emirati Infertile Males

A total of 154 Emirati infertile patients were included in this study of which a cohort of 18 infertile males undergoing fertility counseling were recruited from Dubai Fertility Center (DFC) and University Hospital of Sharjah (UHS), in addition to136 azoospermic Emirati infertile patients who performed AZF-deletion screening as counselled and recorded by DFC during the period of January 2011 and January 2021.Diagnostic screening was conducted to investigate the frequency of microdeletion in the Azoospermia Factor (AZFa, AZFb, AZFc, AZFd) gene cluster of the Y-chromosome among Emirati infertile male patients using the Sequences-Tagged-Sites (STS)-Multiplex PCR diagnostic technology.The frequency of the AZF microdeletions was 2.2% as detected in three patients with azoospermia (n= 3/136).There were two complete deletions in the AZFc region as shown by deletion of the two STS; SY254 (380 bp) and SY255 (124 bp).Our findings are similar to those reported in regional and global range, which appeared to vary across genealogical-lineages in different geographical landscape.This article is the first to profile AZF microdeletions in Emirati Azospermic males, offering valuable insights into male infertility genomics worldwide.The novelty and importance of the findings are especially relevant for improved healthcare and male infertility in Gulf countries due to shared tribal genetic lineage.This highlights the importance of the screening for the AZF-deletion for male infertility diagnosis for better management and treatments in the fertility clinics and hospitals in the UAE.