UCSF researchers find evidence of faulty DNA repair in some inf...( e is very powerful because it can be us...)

"With ICSI, natural selection barriers that normally exist during conception may be broken down. If a couple has a genetic problem, it may be transmitted to children in a way that might not occur normally." Turek said. "At this time, it is not at all clear whether a problem like this, that exists in the sex cells of an infertile man, will be seen at all in his offspring if ICSI is used." Perhaps problems with DNA repair will not be passed along to children conceived through ICSI because such problems may simply result in miscarriages. Defective DNA repair is also commonly found in spontaneously aborted embryos, Reijo Pera said, suggesting babies who make it to term would not have this problem.

Alternatively, children with DNA repair defects may survive to term. Theoretically, they could then have an increased risk of infertility, or possibly even tumor formation later in life, according to the study. "We don't know which scenario will be true." Turek said.

Turek said researchers should follow-up on the health and development of ICSI children in couples with severe male factor infertility from testes failure to help sort out these issues.

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Contact: Leslie Harris
lharris@pubaff.ucsf.edu
415-885-7277
University of California - San Francisco
31-May-2000