DECREASED IMMUNOREACTIVE ANDROGEN RECEPTOR LEVELS ARE NOT THE CAUSE OF ISOLATED HYPOSPADIAS

Objective To elucidate whether diminished levels of androgen receptor (AR) are the underlying cause for the development of hypospadias by de termining AR levels in the foreskins of boys with hypospadias. Patient s and methods The content of AR was determined by a sensitive immunobl otting technique in extracts from preputial tissue obtained from 15 pa tients (mean age 2.5, SD +/- 1.5 years) with hypospadias and from seve n controls (mean age 2.5, SD +/- 1.5 years). Immunoreactivity of the p rotein was measured by densitometry. Results No significant difference in mean AR content was found between those boys with hypospadias (2.1 +/- 0.9 fmol/mg protein, +/- so) and the age-matched control group (2 .2 +/- 0.3 fmol/mg protein), Stratification by the severity of hypospa dias (distal and proximal on the shaft, and penoscrotal hypospadias) s howed that the severity was not related to tissue AR levels. Conclusio n It is unlikely that hypospadias is caused by a decreased expression of AR.