Association study of candidate genes with scrotal hernia and cryptorchidism in pigs

Abstract

This study proposed to investigate the associations between Follicle stimulating hormone beta (FSHB), Insulin - like 3 (INSL3), Steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) and Mullerian inhibiting substance (MIS) genes with scrotal hernia and cryptorchidism in pigs. A total of 257 pig blood samples were collected from 3 groups, the first group consisted of normal pigs (parents had not occur of scrotal hernia and cryptorchidism) (n=75), the second group composed of scrotal hernia pigs (n =82) and the third group revealed cryptorchidism symptom (n=100). The polymorphism of FSHB gene was detected by PCR, INSL3 and SF-1 genes were analyzed by PCR-SSCP and MIS gene was detected by PCR-RFLP. Analysis of association between pattern of genes with scrotal hernia and cryptorchidism were performed by Logistic regression. The results revealed that the FSHB and MIS genes were associated with scrotal hernia and cryptorchidism (P<0.05) and INSL3 gene was associated with only cryptorchidism (P<0.05). Theses genes were involved testis differentiation and descent, the genetic mechanism important might be controlled by interaction of genes, which are associated with scrotal hernia and cryptorchidism in pigs. Therefore, further study on the molecular level for genes that could be developed as genetic markers in the pig industry.