title: Association of follicle stimulating hormone receptor promoter with ovarian response in IVF-ET patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Poor ovarian response phenomenon has been observed in some of the in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer patients. Some investigations found that follicle stimulating hormone receptor ( FSHR ) gene plays a role in the process, but no direct evidence shows the correlation between genotypes of FSHR and ovarian response.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Exploring the molecular mechanism behind the mutation of FSH R promoter association with ovarian granulosa cells and poor ovarian response.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross sectional study was performed using 158 women undergoing the controlled short program ovarian stimulation for IVF treatment. The 263 bp DNA fragments before the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) receptor 5' initiation site were sequenced in the patients under IVF cycle, 70 of which had poor ovarian response and 88 showed normal ovarian responses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With a mutation rate of 40%, 63 in 158 cases showed a 29(th) site G→A point mutation; among the mutated cases, the mutation rate of the poor ovarian responders was significantly higher than the normal group (60% versus 23.9%; χ2=21.450, p<0.001). Besides, the variability was also obvious in antral follicle count, and ovum pick-ups. The estradiol peak values and the number of mature eggs between the two groups had significant difference. However, there was no obvious variability (t=0.457, p=0.324) in the basic FSH values between the two groups (normal group, 7.2±2.3 U/L; mutation group, 7.1±2.0 U/L).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The activity of FSHR promoter is significantly affected by the 29(th) site G→A mutation that will weaken promoter activity and result in poor response to FSH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology ， Ren Ming Hospital of Wu Han Univeristy ， Wu Han ， China.
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dan
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology ， Ren Ming Hospital of Wu Han Univeristy ， Wu Han ， China.
authors.forename: Gao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jing
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology ， Ren Ming Hospital of Wu Han Univeristy ， Wu Han ， China.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liangbin
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology ， Ren Ming Hospital of Wu Han Univeristy ， Wu Han ， China.
authors.forename: Zhang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ting
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology ， Ren Ming Hospital of Wu Han Univeristy ， Wu Han ， China.
authors.forename: Zeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ying
keywords: Follicle stimulating hormone receptor; Infertility; Ovarian granulosa cells; Ovarian response; Promoter