Abstract of research

BIOCHEMICAL EFFECT OF LIPOPROTEIN MODULATORS IN INFERTILE PATIENTS (POLYMORPHISM OF ESTROGEN RECEPTOR BETA)

Ahmed A. Sayed a, Afaf A. Desoky b, Hussein A. Abd Elmaksoud b, Mohamed H. Motawea

Abstract

Male infertility is a multifactorial condition with a strong genetic component. In the last decade a large number of investigations focused on the identification of gene variants affecting spermatogenesis in human. Polymorphisms of the estrogen receptor (ER) genes, have been implicated in male infertility, however, comprehensive data are lacking. We investigated the association between the ER-β gene (ESR2) RsaI and Alul polymorphisms and the idiopathic male infertility in Egyptian males. Allel specific PCR method and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) were used to detect the ER-β gene polymorphisms in 24 infertile men and 34 age-matched healthy controls. Reproductive hormones were measured and at least two semen analyses were performed in each subject. Compared with the controls, the frequency of the heterozygous Rsa1 AG genotype was almost three times higher in infertile men (16.6 vs. 5.8 %; P = 0.17). The heterozygous Rsa1 AG genotype was associated with an reduction in LH concentration compared with the wild-typ1e Rsa1 GG genotype in both controls and infertile men. Our results further suggest a possible role of ER-β polymorphisms on male infertility. Further studies are needed to replicate our findings as well as to better elucidate the biological mechanisms of the modulation of ER-β on male infertility.