Rs10835638

rs10835638, a SNP located in the (upstream) regulatory region of the follicle stimulating hormone FSHB gene, may influence hormone levels.

A quantitative genetic association study of 550+ healthy Estonian men (average age 19) found that rs10835638 was significantly associated with serum FSH level (analysis of variance: F = 13.0, P = 0.0016, df = 1; regression testing for a linear trend: P = 0.0003).

Subjects with the (G;G) genotype had higher FSH levels (3.37 +/- 1.79 IU/l, n = 423) compared with (G;T) heterozygotes (2.84 +/- 1.54 IU/l, n = 125) (p = 0.0005) or (T;T) homozygotes (2.02 +/- 0.81 IU/L, n = 6) (P = 0.031). rs10835638 was also associated with significant reduction in free testosterone index and testes volume, but increased semen volume, sex hormone-binding globulin, serum testosterone and estradiol LH and inhibin-B levels did not differ significantly between groups.