Association of polymorphisms of miRNA biogenesis related genes DICER and DROSHA with azoospermia

Abstract

To assess the association of polymorphisms of miRNA biogenesis related genes DICER and DROSHA with azoospermia. For 330 patients with primary azoospermia and 282 fertile male controls, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of DICER rs3742330 and DROSHA rs10719 were determined with a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method. For the SNP rs3742330, the frequency of A allele was higher among azoospermia patients compared with the controls (72.0% vs.64.4%, P=0.004), and so was the frequency of AA genotype (53.0% vs. 41.8%, P=0.027, OR=1.829, 95%CI: 1.071-3.124). On the other hand, the allelic and genotypic frequencies of rs10719 did not differ between the two groups (all P > 0.05). Polymorphisms of rs3742330 of the DICER gene, particularly the AA genotype, may be associated with azoospermia.