Possible lack of association between E469K polymorphism of ICAM-1 and non-obstructive azoospermia in south-east Turkey

Abstract

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), a member of the large immunoglobulin superfamily of cell adhesion molecules, is a constituent component of the blood–testis barrier, and it plays a significant role in the homeostasis of spermatogenesis. The E469K polymorphism in the human ICAM-1 gene has been previously associated in various inflammatory/autoimmune disorders. However, the role of the ICAM-1 E469K polymorphism in spermatogenesis remains unclear. The aim of the present study is to analyse the possible association between the ICAM-1 E469K polymorphism and male infertility with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) patients within a group of men from Turkey. We included 111 infertile male with NOA and 114 fertile male as control subjects to the study. Genotyping was made by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism. The frequency of the genotype and the allele of ICAM-1 E469K were not significantly different between the control group and the patients (P > 0.05). This is the first study to investigate the role of the ICAM-1 gene polymorphism in male infertility with NOA. We conclude that the E469K polymorphism of ICAM-1 is not a risk factor for NOA in the Turkish population.

Keywords

• Male infertility
• ICAM-1
• E469K
• polymorphism
• azoospermia