Expression of androgen, estrogen, and progesterone hormone receptors in the penile tissues of children with different types of hypospadias

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Androgen (AR), Estrogen (ER) and Progesterone (PR) hormones play an important role in the prenatal andpostnatal development of urogenital tract and especially the penis. The expressions of AR, ER and PR receptors in penile tissues in children with hypospadiases had also been shown previously. In this leading study, to demonstrate of the sex hormonereceptor expression in cases with different types of hypospadias were aimed.METHODS: This study was designed in children operated due to hypospadiases without DSD. Biopsy samples of 3 mm’s wereobtained from three different sytes as the lateral parameatal tissue and the anterior corner of the prepuce, and inner layer ofposterior prepuce. The presence of AR, ER and PR receptors was investigated immunehistochemically.RESULTS: Mean age was 5.4 years in 18 children with hypospadiases; in totally 33 specimens were taken in 5 subcoronalas 5 specimens, and 7 penile as 15 specimens, and 6 penoscrotal as 13 specimens. According to sytes of samples; 13 samples were from lateral para-meatal tissues, and 13 were from anterior corners of prepuces, and 7 were from inner layersof posterior prepuces. In regard to receptor expression; ER and AR receptors were positive in 29 (87.8%) and 12 (36.4%)respectively; PR receptors were negative.CONCLUSION: This study emphasized the dominant expression of estrogen receptors in penile tissues of children with hypospadias. Although there was not a manifest correlation of androgen receptors absence in regard to the severity of hypospadias patients, there was a marked estrogen receptors presence in penile tissues. These findings suggest that the disruptedandrogen and estrogen receptor interaction and/or balance could play a role during the development of external genitalia inhypospadias patients. Progesterone receptor was not present and therefore the active role in the postnatal development ofhypospadias is still debatable.