Association of FSH Receptor Promoter’s Polymorphisms with IVF-Failure in Iranian Women

introduction: Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Receptor (FSHR) shows five Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in the core promoter region at positions -29, -37, - 114, -123 and -138 that have been reported to be associated with higher level of FSH and various ovarian responses to FSH in IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) treatment at different populations. Hence they are important regulators of hormone activity at the target level in IVF process. This study was performed to investigate the association between FSHR gene polymorphisms at the core promoter region and IVF-failure in Iranian women.Methods: SNPs in the core promoter region of the FSHR gene were analyzed by PCR and direct sequencing technique in 90 women, using genomic DNA extracted from white blood cells, in the three categories of 30 samples of IVF-failure, 30 samples of IVF success and 30 normal fertile women. Result:No significant difference was found in allelic variants frequency and genotype distribution between each category of subjects when analyzing the FSHR SNPs in the core promoter region (p-value > 0.05). However, data analyzing revealed that the subjects with AA genotype at the –29 position received higher amount of exogenous FSH for ovulation induction compared to G/G genotypes.Conclusion: These results indicate that SNP of the core promoter region at position –29 of FSHR gene may influence sensitivity of the FSHR to FSH for ovulation induction in IVF treatment. It may be concluded that AA genotypes at position –29 associated with the poor ovarian response to FSH, so that; subjects with AA genotype at the –29 position require higher amount of exogenous FSH for ovulation induction during IVF process.

Keywords:

IVF (In Vitro Fertility) , FSHR gene , promoter , Infertility , IVF-Failure