Association between dopamine transporter gene (DAT1/SLC6A3) variants and infertility in the Turkish females

Abstract

Objective

Worldwide, approximately 10–15% of couples is affected by infertility and infertility is associated with disturbances in female and/or male reproductive systems. The aim of the current study is to investigate the relationship between DAT1 (SLC6A3) VNTR polymorphism with female infertility.

Methods

Genomic DNA extractions were performed in 98 fertile and 90 infertile females, 3' untranslated region (3’ UTR) variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism of DAT1/SLC6A3 was determined by the use of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method.

Results

It has been demonstrated that there was no statistically significant difference between female infertile and fertile groups in the terms of DAT1 genotypes (p > .05). Moreover, there was no significant difference regarding the frequencies of 9R and 10R alleles in infertile and fertile groups (p > .05).

Conclusion

This is the first study for investigating the relationship between DAT1/SLC6A3 gene polymorphism and infertility in females. Our study contributes to the growing awareness of the relationship between dopaminergic system and female infertility despite no significant differences were reported between infertile females and corresponding fertile subjects in DAT1/SLC6A3 gene.

摘要

目的：在世界范围内, 约10%∼15%的夫妇受到不孕不育的影响, 而不孕不育与女性和/或男性生殖系统障碍有关。本研究旨在探讨DAT1（SLC6A3）基因可变数目串联重复序列（VNTR）多态与女性不孕症的关系。

方法：对98例生育女性和90例不孕女性进行基因组DNA提取, 采用聚合酶链式反应（PCR）方法检测DAT1/SLC6A3基因3’非翻译区（3’ UTR）VNTR多态性。

结果：结果表明女性不孕组和生育组之间的DAT1基因分型差异无统计学意义（p > 0.05）。此外, 9R和10R等位基因频率在不孕组和生育组之间无显著差异（p > 0.05）。

结论：这是首次研究DAT1/SLC6A3基因多态性与女性不孕症的关系。本研究有助于人们对多巴胺能系统与女性不孕症之间关系的认识, 尽管DAT1/SLC6A3基因在不孕女性和对应的生育女性之间无显著差异。

Keywords:

• Female infertility
• dopamine
• dopamine transporter
• DAT1
• SLC6A3

关键词:

• 女性不孕症
• 多巴胺
• 多巴胺转运体
• DAT1
• SLC6A3

Author contributions

OA designed the study and wrote the manuscript. FY, MY, and UG selected the patients and control groups based on the selection criteria, and collected blood samples. ND performed all the experiments and analyzed the data.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was declared by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Department of Scientific Research Projects of Hitit University (Project No: FBE19004.20.012).