title: The frequency of follicle stimulating hormone receptor gene polymorphisms in Iranian infertile men with azoospermia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Azoospermia is the medical condition of a man not having any measurable level of sperm in his semen. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is a member of the glycoprotein hormone family that plays an important role in human reproduction because of its essential role in normal spermatogenesis. Various Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) have been reported within FSH receptor (FSHR) gene that may affect the receptor function.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed to investigate the correlation between two FSHR SNPs at positions A919G, A2039G, and susceptibility to azoospermia in a group of Iranian azoospermic men. The association between FSH levels within the sera and A919G and A2039G alleles and genotypes were also investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  This case control study was performed on 212 men with azoospermia (126 non-obstructive and 86 obstructive) and 200 healthy Iranian men. Two FSHR gene SNPs were genotyped using PCR-RFLP method. The relationship between FSH levels within the sera and A919G and A2039G alleles and genotypes were also investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistical analysis indicated that at A919G position, AA genotype and A allele were more frequent in obstructive azoospermia cases compared to non-obstructive or normal men (p=0.001). Regarding A2039G polymorphisms, no significant difference was observed between both azoospermia groups and the controls. The mean level of serum FSH was higher in the non-obstructive men compared to the obstructive patients (23.8 versus 13.8, respectively, p= 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study indicated that the genetic polymorphisms in the FSHR gene might increase the susceptibility to azoospermia in Iranian men.
authors.affiliation: Infertility Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.; Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.; Proteomics Laboratory, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Behrouz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gharesi-Fard
authors.affiliation: Islamic Azad University, Fars Science and Research Branch, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ghasemi
authors.affiliation: Infertility Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shakeri
authors.affiliation: Student Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Shabnam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Behdin
authors.affiliation: Infertility Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aghaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Malek-Hosseini
keywords: Azoospermia; FSH receptor; Male infertility; Polymorphism