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Polymorphism of CAG Repeats in Exon 1 of the Androgen Receptor Gene in Russian Men with Various Forms of Pathozoospermia

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Abstract

CAGn polymorphism in exon 1 of the androgen receptor (AR/HUMARA) gene is associated with pathozoospermia and male infertility, but its effect on spermatogenesis and male fertility is not well understood. The article presents the results of a study of CAG repeats polymorphism of the AR gene in Russian patients with pathozoospermia (n = 591), fertile men (n = 286), and normozoospermic men/control (n = 131). Comparative analysis showed no significant differences in frequencies of “medium” (n = 19–25), “long” (n ≥ 26), and “short” (n ≤ 18) alleles between groups of patients with various forms of pathozoospermia. Statistically significant (p < 0.01) differences were found between the group with severe oligozoospermia and the control for the prevalence of “long” and “short” CAG alleles, as well as for the frequency of CAGn = 25 allele between azoospermic (18.1%) and severe oligozoospermic (2.6%) men.

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This work was carried out as part of the state assignment of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

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Correspondence to V. B. Chernykh.

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Statement of compliance with standards of research involving humans as subjects. All procedures performed in a study involving people comply with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national committee for research ethics and the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its subsequent changes or comparable ethical standards. Informed voluntary consent was obtained from each of the participants.

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Melikyan, L.P., Bliznetz, E.A., Polyakov, A.V. et al. Polymorphism of CAG Repeats in Exon 1 of the Androgen Receptor Gene in Russian Men with Various Forms of Pathozoospermia. Russ J Genet 56, 1000–1005 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1022795420080104

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