APERTS-SYNDROME AND ANDROGEN RECEPTOR STAINING OF THE BASAL CELLS OF SEBACEOUS GLANDS

We report two cases of Apert's syndrome, each of whom developed the se vere acne in adolescence which is a feature of this disorder. Both res ponded to isotretinoin therapy. Immunohistochemical techniques, using a mouse monoclonal antibody, were employed to stain sebocyte androgen receptors in the two patients, and in five controls. This showed no di fference in the number of cells with androgen receptor expression betw een the patients with Apert's syndrome and controls. These results sup port the concept that the underlying problem in Apert's syndrome is an abnormal sensitivity to normal circulating levels of androgens, and n ot an excess number of androgen receptors.