Mahlagha amin malek - Department of Biology , Faculty of Biological Science , Tonekabon Branch , Islamic Azad University,Tonekabon , Iran.
farhad Mashayekhi - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.

Infertility is defined as the inability to achieve pregnancy after one year of regular, unprotected intercourse. Cytokines including interleukins and Epidermal growth factor (EGF( were shown to be implicated as regulators of spermatogenesis so, Polymorphisms in these genes are considered potential risk factors.EGF gene is located in the long arm of chromosome 4. EGF can stimulate human sperm capacitation and also regulats the germ cell development.The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of A61G (rs:4444903) polymorphism of EGF gene and its serum concentration with the susceptibility to idiopathic male infertility in Iranian population. Genomic DNA was extracted from 120 men with idiopathic infertility and 140 healthy men and was genotyped by PCR-RFLP. EGF level was measured in serum by ELISA.Genotype frequencies for AA, AG and GG in patient group were 77% , 23% ,0% and in controls were 93%, 7% ,0% , respectively. the A and G allele frequencies in patients were 88.3% , 11.7% and in controls were 96% , 4% respectively. There was significant differencein in allele (P=0.0008) and genotype (P= 0.0005) distribution between two groups. Moreover the concentration of serum EGF in infertile (314.68 ± 45.16 pg/ml) were significantly lower than those in controls (464.28 ± 66.87 pg/ml, P <0.00001). The results of this study indicate that +61A/G polymorphism of EGF gene be associated whit idiopathic male infertility. It is also suggested that EGF serum concentration is involved in the pathophysiology of male infertility.

Epidermal Growth Factor , Idiopathic Male Infertility, Serum