Genetic association study of polymorphisms FOXP3 and FCRL3 in women with endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE: To consider a possible cumulative effect of two genetic polymorphisms (FOXP3 C-2383T/rs3761549 and FCRL3 C-169T/rs7528684) that were previously shown to be associated with endometriosis. DESIGN: Genetic association study. SETTING: Human reproduction outpatient clinic of Faculdade de Medicina do ABC. PATIENT(S): One hundred eighty-eight infertile women with endometriosis and 169 controls. INTERVENTION(S): Detection of polymorphisms FOXP3 (C-2383T/rs3761549) and FCRL3 (C-169T/rs7528684) by TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction. The results were analyzed statistically. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Genotype distribution, allele frequency, and combination analysis of the FOXP3 and FCRL3 polymorphisms. RESULT(S): Single-marker analysis revealed a significant association of FOXP3 C-2383T and FCRL3 C-169T, independently, with endometriosis-related infertility, regardless of the stage of the disease. Considering the combined genotypes of FCRL3 and FOXP3 polymorphisms, a positive association was found between genotypes FCRL3TT/FOXP3CT, FCRL3CT/FOXP3CT, and FCRL3CC/FOXP3CT and the risk of endometriosis development. Moreover, a progression of the disease risk was observed according to the presence of one or two copies of risk allele FCRL3 C and only one copy of risk allele FOXP3 T (odds ratio [OR] = 2.14, OR = 3.25, and OR = 6.0, respectively, for genotypes FCRL3TT/FOXP3CT, FCRL3CT/FOXP3CT, and FCRL3CC/FOXP3CT). CONCLUSION(S): Our findings support a possible gene-gene interaction leading to a cumulative effect on endometriosis development.

Association of FCRL3 C-169T promoter single-nucleotide polymorphism with idiopathic infertility and infertility-related endometriosis.

An aberrant immunological mechanism is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. The present study aimed to determine whether there is a relationship between endometriosis and/or infertility and the FCRL3 C-169T polymorphism. This case-control study included 167 infertile women with endometriosis, 60 women with idiopathic infertility and 167 fertile women. Detection of the FCRL3 C-169T polymorphism was performed using TaqMan PCR. A significant difference in the genotype and allele frequencies of the FCRL3 C-169T polymorphism between endometriosis-related infertility (p=0.003 and p=0.001) and idiopathic infertility (p=0.027 and p=0.0185) versus controls was demonstrated. In conclusion, the results suggest that the FCRL3 C-169T polymorphism may play an important role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis and/or infertility.

Analysis of FOXP3 polymorphisms in infertile women with and without endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate FOXP3 polymorphisms (rs3761549, rs3761548, rs2232368, rs2232366, and rs2280883) in a group of infertile women with and without endometriosis and controls. DESIGN: Case control study. SETTING: Human Reproduction Outpatient Clinic of Faculdade de Medicina do ABC. PATIENT(S): The study groups were 177 infertile women with endometriosis, 71 women with idiopathic infertility, and 171 fertile women as controls. INTERVENTION(S): The FOXP3 polymorphisms were identified by TaqMan polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results were analyzed statistically. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Genotype distribution, allele frequency, and haplotype analysis of the FOXP3 polymorphisms. RESULT(S): Single-marker analysis revealed that FOXP3 rs3761549 was significantly associated with endometriosis. In the infertile group without endometriosis, single-marker analysis revealed statistical difference for rs2280883 and rs2232368 FOXP3 polymorphisms. No associations were found with rs3761548 and rs2232366 either for endometriosis-related infertility group or idiopathic infertility group. Haplotype analysis of five FOXP3 polymorphisms identified a haplotype CTTGA associated with endometriosis and ACTAG associated with idiopathic infertility. CONCLUSION(S): This is the first study to report an association between FOXP3 polymorphisms and endometriosis and/or infertility. These findings require replication in other populations but suggest that the FOXP3 polymorphisms can be associated with risk of idiopathic infertility (rs2280883 and rs2232368) and endometriosis (rs3761549) in Brazilian women.

Association of FCRL3 -169T/C polymorphism with endometriosis and identification of a protective haplotype against the development of the disease in Brazilian population.

An aberrant immunologic mechanism has been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Fc receptor-like 3 gene (FCRL3) has been proposed as a novel autoimmune predisposing factor. The authors have hypothesized a possible relationship between endometriosis, infertility, and FCRL3 polymorphisms. This was a case-control study that included 170 women with endometriosis-related infertility, 91 women with idiopathic infertility, and 166 controls. Detection of FCRL3 polymorphisms (-169C/T, -110G/A, +358C/G and +1381 A/G) was performed using TaqMan PCR. The results were analyzed statistically and a p value <0.05 was considered significant. Results Single-marker analysis revealed that FCRL3 -169C/T was significantly associated with endometriosis (p = 0.004), regardless of the stage of the disease, p = 0.011 and p = 0.035, respectively to minimal/mild and to moderate/severe endometriosis. No association was found considering -110A/G, +358C/G, and +1381 A/G polymorphisms either for the endometriosis-related infertility group or the idiopathic infertility group. Haplotype analysis of four FCRL3 polymorphisms identified a haplotype GGGC associated with endometriosis (p = 0.026). The haplotype AGAT was associated with protection against endometriosis (p = 0.011) and infertility (p = 0.041). The data from this study point to a possible association of the FCRL3 -169C/T polymorphisms with endometriosis, especially minimal/mild endometriosis, and the haplotype AGAT may be protective against the development of the disease, in Brazilian women. However, these findings clearly need to be replicated in an independent sample and in different populations.

Polymorphisms in folate-related enzyme genes in idiopathic infertile Brazilian men.

The aim of the study was to analyze the distribution of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), methionine synthase reductase (MTRR), and methionine synthase (MTR) polymorphisms in idiopathic infertile Brazilian men and fertile men. Case-control study comprising 133 idiopathic infertile Brazilian men with nonobstructive azoospermia ([NOA] n = 55) or severe oligozoospermia ([SO] n = 78) and 173 fertile men as controls. MTHFR C677T, A1298C, and G1793A; MTRR A66G; and MTR A2756G polymorphisms were studied by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The results were analyzed statistically and a P value <.05 was considered significant. Single-marker analysis revealed a significant association among MTHFR C677T polymorphism and both NOA group (P = .018) and SO group (P < .001). Considering the MTHFR A1298C, MTHFR G1793A, and MTRR A66G polymorphisms, no difference was found between NOA group and SO group. Regarding the MTR A2756G polymorphism, a significant difference was found between NOA and controls, P = .017. However, statistical analysis revealed no association between SO group and controls. Combined genotypes of 3 MTHFR polymorphisms did not identify a haplotype associated with idiopathic infertility. The combinatory analysis of the 3 polymorphisms MTHFR, MTRR, and MTR did not show difference between cases and controls. The findings suggest the MTHFR C677T and MTR A2756G polymorphisms could be an important genetic factor predisposing to idiopathic infertility in Brazilian men.

PTPN22 C1858T polymorphism in women with endometriosis.

PROBLEM: Endometriosis has been suggested to be an autoimmune disease and recently, an allelic variation of the PTPN22 (C1858T) gene was revealed to be associated with the development of autoimmunity. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of the PTPN22 (C1858T) polymorphism in Brazilian women with endometriosis as compared with controls. METHOD OF STUDY: Case-control study included 140 women with endometriosis and a control group consisting of 180 healthy fertile women without a history of endometriosis and/or autoimmune diseases from the ABC School of Medicine. The PTPN22 (C1858T) polymorphism was studied by restriction fragment length polymorphism polymerase chain reaction (RFLP-PCR). RESULTS: Genotypes CC, CT and TT of PTPN22 polymorphism presented frequencies of 67.9, 30.0 and 2.1% in the women with endometriosis (P = 0.008); 76.2, 19.0 and 4.8% in women with minimal/mild endometriosis (P = 0.173); 61.0, 39.0 and 0.0% in women with moderate/severe endometriosis (P < or = 0.001) and 82.8, 16.1 and 1.1% in control group. Allele C and T were present in 82.9 and 17.1%; 85.7 and 14.3%; 80.5 and 19.5%; and 90.8 and 9.2% respectively, in women with endometriosis (P = 0.004), women with minimal/mild endometriosis (P = 0.148), women with moderate/severe endometriosis (P = 0.002) and control group. CONCLUSION: The data suggest that in Brazilian women polymorphism PTPN22 (C1858T) may be an important genetic predisposing factor for endometriosis, especially, in advanced disease.