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Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a disorder in which there are numerous benign cysts that form on ovaries under a thick white covering that is one of the causes of infertility. Follistatin is a single chain glycosylated polypeptide that can bind to activin. When follistatin binds to activin it suppresses the role of activin to stimulate the secretion of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). FSH plays an important role in folliculogenesis and decrease in FSH level may arrest follicular development. Objective: The aim is this study was to determine the circulating follistatin concentrations in PCOS patients compared to regularly menstruating women. Materials and Methods: The PCOS study group consisted of 88 oligo/amenorrheic women with PCOS. The control group consisted of 60 healthy women with regular menstrual cycles (26-30 days) and with no signs of hyperandrogenism. Body mass index (BMI, Kg/m²) was calculated. Serum follistatin, Serum Leutenizing hormone (LH), and FSH were determined. Student?s t-test, and Pearson correlation coefficients were used carried out statistical analysis of the data. Results: Serum follistatin levels were 0.11±0.04 and 0.31±0.08 ng/ml in control subjects and PCOS patients respectively (mean ± SD), and mean follistatin concentration in PCOS was high. The relationship between serum follistatin and FSH for control study was negatively correlated (r= -0.107, p=0.415) and was not significant, whereas for PCOS patients, the correlation was negative (r= -0.011, p=0.027) and however significant. Conclusion: Follistatin concentrations were high in PCOS patients compared to control subjects in this study. The high concentration of follistatin in PCOS decreased the FSH level and thus follistatin and FSH levels were negatively correlated in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Y chromosomal microdeletion is an important genetic disorder, which may arise due to intrachromosomal recombination between homologous sequences in the male specific region of the human Y chromosome. It is frequently associated with the quantitative reduction of sperm. The screening for Y chromosomal microdeletions has a great clinical value. Objective: To develop a sequence tagged site (STS) based multiplex PCR protocol, which could be specific for the rapid detection of AZF deletions and thereby estimating the frequency of AZF sub deletions in infertile South Indian men. Materials and Methods: In the current study, PCR based Y chromosomal microdeletion screening analysis was performed in 75 men including 30 non-obstructive azoospermic men, 20 severe oligozoospermic, and 25 normozoospermic fertile men (controls) using 15 known STS primer pairs mapped within the AZF locus. Deletion frequency was estimated after successful PCR amplification. Results: We designed and optimized a STS based multiplex PCR protocol, which could be helpful for the clinicians to detect the Y chromosomal deletions rapidly and specifically. In our study, we estimated an overall deletion frequency of 36%. Among these 12 (40%) were azoospermic and 6 (30%) were oligozoospermic. No microdeletions were observed in normozoospermic fertile men. Conclusion: Our Study emphasizes the fact that Y chromosomal microdeletion screening tests are unavoidable in the workup of idiopathic male infertility. Mandatory screening for Y deletions should be done in all azoospermic and severe oligozoospermic patients before undergoing assisted reproductive technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]