CAG polymorphism of the androgen receptor gene in azoospermic and oligozoospermic men from Ukraine

• Published in: Cytology and genetics Vol. 43; no. 6; pp. 401 - 405
• Main Authors: Fesai, O. A., Kravchenko, S. A., Tyrkus, M. Ya, Makuh, G. V., Zinchenko, V. M., Strelko, G. V., Livshits, L. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Allerton Press, Inc 01-12-2009
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Human Genetics; Androgen Receptor; Androgen Receptor Mrna; Azoospermia; Polyglutamine Tract; Androgen Receptor Gene
• ISSN: 0095-4527; 1934-9440
• DOI: 10.3103/S0095452709060061

An analysis of the number of CAG repeats in exon 1 of the gene was conducted in a group of 228 infertile males with azoospermia (
n
= 68) and oligozoospermia (
n
= 160), and in a control group (124 proven fathers) by means of polymerase chain reaction with subsequent fragment analysis on an ALF-Express automated fluorescent analyzer. Allele frequency with the number of CAG repeats ≤ 18 was found to be significantly higher (
P
< 0.01) in the group of patients with azoospermia (17.7%) as compared to the control group (2.4%), and in the group of patients with oligozoospermia (12.5%) as compared to the control group (2.4%). Allele frequency with the number of CAG repeats ≥ 28 was shown to be significantly higher (
P
< 0.01) in patients with oligozoospermia (12.5%) as compared to the control group (2.4%). Our data suggest an association between the number of CAG repeats and impaired spermatogenesis in azoospermic and oligozoospermic males.