Determination of relationship between FSH receptor genotype and outcome of controlled ovarian stimulation

Ovarian stimulation using exogenous gonadotrophins is an important step during fertility treatment. FSH is a glycoprotein hormone with a key role in human reproduction. It is essential for gonadal development and it stimulates follicular maturation in the ovaries by binding to FSH receptor (FSHR), a G-coupled protein in the granulosa cells, initiating a signal transduction involving adenylate cyclase activation and elevation of intracellular cAMP.The distribution of several allelic variants of the FSHR gene in specific populations has been described. The identification of these allelic variants has led to the investigation of their potential value as predictors of ovarian response to an exogenous stimulation IVF/ICSI protocol. The aim of this study to investigate the association between FSH receptor genotype and the number of metaphase-II oocytes retrieved at ovum pickup during controlled ovarian stimulation for IVF/ICSI. This prospective observational study includes 100 patients undergoing stimulated IVF/ICSI cycles performed at Bahceci Umut IVF center between March 2013 and May 2013. Mean age of patient group is 32,6 ± years old. Genomic DNA was obtained from peripheral blood leukocytes utilizing iPrep DNA purification system. After polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with specific primers, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis was carried out at position 680 (exon 10) to determine genotype distribution Ser/Ser, Asn/Ser and Asn/Asn. Following ovarian stimulation, oocyte retrieval was performed 36 hours after hCG administration. Two hours later, denudation of oocytes was performed and number of mature MII oocytes was noted.We did not find any association between FSHR receptor p.Asn680Ser polymorphism and the number of mature oocytes (MII) obtained in IVF/ICSI cycles. There is no evidence that the p.Asn680Ser FSHR genotype predicts oocyte maturity with this number of study group.