Expression of androgen receptor and estrogen receptor-beta in foreskin tissue of hypospadiac and healthy boys.

OBJECTIVES: This prospective study aimed to investigate the expression of the androgen receptor(AR) and the estrogen receptor-beta (ER-beta) in foreskint issues in boys with and without distal hypospadias. METHODS: Thirty boys with distal hypospadias were evaluated. Fifteen boys who under went elective circumcision over a period of 18 months served as the control group. The presence of AR and ER-beta in foresk in tissues was investigated immunohistochemically. RESULTS: The percentages of AR in epithelial cells were18.9 +/- 27.3% in the hypospadias group and 3.3 +/-5.3% in the circumcision group, and the difference betweent he groups was significant (p=0.034). Of the stromal cells, 19.5 +/- 26.8% in the hypospadias group and2.6 +/- 4.4% in the circumcision group were positive lystained for AR (p=0.004). In the hypospadias group,significantly higher stromal cell percentage of ER-beta was found compared to that in the control group (24+/- 24.5% and 1.3 +/- 1.1%, respectively, p<0.001). Moreover, epithelial cell percentage of ER-beta was higher in the hypospadias group than that in the control group,and the respective values were 6.8 +/- 10.1% and 0.9+/- 1.3% (p<0.0001)CONCLUSION: The percent of AR and ER-beta expression were higher in hypospadias-affected foresk in than in the normal foreskin. Whether the normal function of these receptors reveals, there is a need for more detailed studies.