Association of molecular variants of luteinizing hormone with male infertility

Luteinizing hormone (LH) stimulates the interstitial Leydig cells to produc e testosterone, which is essential for spermatogenesis. Abnormalities in th e function of LH may affect the process of spermatogenesis and thus result in infertility, The aim of this study was to determine the association of t hree known variants of LH (Gln54Arg [Trp8Arg; Ile15Thr] and Gly102Ser) with male infertility. A total of 145 infertile men and 200 healthy fertile men were recruited and screened for the presence of these three LN variants. T he Gln54Arg variant could not be detected in either of the groups studied. Twelve infertile (8.2%) and 15 fertile (7.5%) men were found to carry the [ Trp8Ile; I15Thr] variant, but its occurrence did not show any significant d ifference between the patient and control groups. The Gly102Ser variant was detected in five patients with infertility (3.4%), but not in the control subjects (P = 0.013), This study showed that the Gln54Arg and [Trp8Ile; I15 Thr] variants in the LH beta gene were not associated with male infertility , whereas the Gly102Ser variant might be implicated in infertility in some Singapore Chinese men.