Influence of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T gene polymorphisms in Algerian infertile men with azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia.

Aims: The C677T allele of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene has been suggested to represent a risk factor for male infertility. To confirm this association, the distribution of the single-nucleotide polymorphism C677T was investigated in idiopathic infertile Algerian patients with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) or severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT). A case-control study was carried out, including 74 idiopathic infertile Algerian patients with NOA (n=46) or severe OAT (n=28) and 84 fertile men as controls. Polymorphism C677T was studied by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism, and the results were statistically analyzed.

Results: The frequency of genotypes MTHFR 677CC, 677CT, and 677TT in idiopathic infertile men with NOA was 43.48%, 41.30%, and 15.22%; 39.29%, 50%, and 10.71% regarding the severe oligozoospermic men; and 42.86%, 45.24%, and 11.90% in the control group.

Conclusions: The data suggest that the C677T MTHFR polymorphism is not a risk factor for idiopathic male subfertility in an Algerian population.