[Relationship between Fas gene polymorphism and idiopathic male infertility]

ABSTRACT

Background: Infertility is defined as the inability to achieve pregnancy after one year of unprotected intercourse. A large proportion of infertile men fail to impregnate their female counterpart due to lack of sperm [azoospermia] or too little sperm [oligozoospermia]. Infertility may also be due to estrogens, infections, heavy metals, cigarette smoking, reactive oxygen species [ROS] and sperm antibodies. Fas is a member of the TNFR [tumor necrosis factor receptor] family that is widely expressed on the surface of many different kinds of cells. Fas gene is involved in the apoptosis process. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of Fas gene polymorphism in male infertility in a population in north of Iran