Androgen receptor-CAG repeats in infertile Egyptian men

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the androgen receptor (AR) codon amino acids glutamine (CAG) repeats in 185 Egyptian men divided into fertile controls (n = 30), oligoasthenoteratozoospermic (OAT) men (n = 35), nonobstructive azoospermic (NOA) men (n = 120; 18 successful testicular sperm extraction (TESE) and 102 unsuccessful TESE cases). They were subjected to history taking, genital examination, semen analysis, testicular biopsies for NOA cases, serum hormones and CAG repeats by PCR. The mean AR-CAG repeats showed significant difference between NOA group compared with fertile controls or OAT groups. Nonsignificant difference was elicited between OAT group and fertile controls. In NOA cases, CAG repeats demonstrated nonsignificant difference between unsuccessful and successful TESE. AR-CAG repeats elicited significant negative correlation with sperm count, significant positive correlation with sperm normal forms percentage and nonsignificant correlations with sperm motility per cent, tested serum hormones or testicular volume. It is concluded that AR-CAG repeats in Egyptian infertile men are in the range of other international or regional studies. AR-CAG repeats have demonstrated nonsignificant difference regarding TESE outcome in NOA cases.