title: Study of GT-repeat expansion in Heme oxygenase-1 gene promoter as genetic cause of male infertility.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The length of GT-repeats polymorphic region in the promoter of human Heme oxygenase-1 gene (HO-1) alters the level of its transcriptional activity in response to oxidative stresses. Decreased level of HO-1 protein in the seminal plasma has been reported to be associated with oligospermia and azoospermia in male infertility. This is the first study to investigate the association between GT-repeats expansion in the promoter of the HO-1 gene and male infertility.
  
  
  METHODS
  The frequencies of different GT-repeats alleles in the promoter of HO-1 gene were determined in 100 cases and 100 normal controls using PCR-PAGE, ABI fragment analysis genotyping and sequencing analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All alleles were classified into S and L alleles. S alleles were specified as number 0 to 3 with <27 GT-repeats and L alleles were specified as number 4 to 6 with >27 repeats. The L allele frequency was significantly higher among case group (54.5%) than that was obtained in the normal control group (37.5%). Statistical analysis provided a significant relationship between L allele and male infertility (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows for the first time that GT-repeats expansion in promoter of the HO-1 gene is associated with oligospermia and azoospermia among Iranian infertile cases.
authors.affiliation: Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran. emi_biotech2006@yahoo.ca
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Siasi
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aleyasin
authors.forename: Seyed Javad
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Mowla
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sahebkashaf
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018900:Dinucleotide Repeats; D005838:Genotype; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012661:Semen / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1