Association of the IL1RN gene VNTR polymorphism with human male infertility

PLoS One. 2012;7(12):e51899. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051899. Epub 2012 Dec 14.

Abstract

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a regulatory cytokine that plays an important role in the maintenance of the immune environment of the testis, regulation of junction dynamics and cell differentiation during spermatogenesis. Members of the IL-1 family are pleiotropic cytokines that are involved in inflammation, immunoregulation and other homeostatic functions in the body. IL-1α, IL-1β, and the IL-1 receptor antagonistic molecule (IL-1 Ra) are expressed in the testis under normal homeostasis and they further increase upon infection/inflammation. In the present study we have examined the association of Variable Number Tandem Repeats (VNTR) polymorphism of the Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene (IL1RN) with human male infertility. The case-control study comprised of two groups: 331 idiopathic infertile patients and 358 fertile healthy men. The study indicates risk of IL1RN2 variant with male infertility (OR: 1.43, CI: 1.1546 to 1.7804, P = 0.001). To our best knowledge, this is the first report that links IL1RN VNTR polymorphism with human male infertility.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Case-Control Studies
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Humans
  • Infertility, Male / genetics*
  • Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein / genetics*
  • Male
  • Minisatellite Repeats*
  • Polymorphism, Genetic

Substances

  • IL1RN protein, human
  • Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein

Grants and funding

Financial assistance in the form of Junior Research Fellowship by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, India to the first author is duly acknowledged. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.