Aim: To identify the association between homozygous deletion genotypes of glutathione transferase genes GSTT1 (glutathione transferase theta 1), GSTM1 (glutathione S-transferase mu1) and infertility in Russian men.
Materials and methods: The article presents a comparative analysis of the incidence of homozygous deletion genotypes of glutathione transferase genes GSTM1 and GSTT1 in Russian men with and without infertility. The study group comprised 160 infertile Russian men of reproductive age (mean age 30.2+/-3.6 years.) The infertility diagnosis was verified according to the WHO guidelines. The control group comprised 104 healthy Russian volunteers (mean age 31.3+/-5.4 years.) Molecular genetic detection of GSTM1 and GSTT1 deletion polymorphisms was performed using PCR. The genomic DNA for the study was extracted from whole blood samples.
Results: The study and control group differed significantly in incidence of GSTM1 (p=0.043) and GSTT1 (p=0.008) deletion polymorphisms. The probability of detecting "zero" genotypes of the GSTT1 and GSTM1 genes in infertile men was 2.5 (p<0.05) and 1.7 times higher (p<0.05), respectively, than in fertile men.
Conclusions: Therefore, the study findings allow us to conclude that the deletion genotypes of GSTM1 and GSTT1 are associated with infertility in Russian men. Molecular genetic analysis of deletion polymorphism of glutathione transferase genes can be recommended for a comprehensive examination of infertile men.
Keywords: GSTM1; GSTT1; glutathione transferase; male infertility; polymorphism of genes; xenobiotics.