EVIDENCE OF ANDROGEN RECEPTOR EXPRESSION IN LICHEN-SCLEROSUS - AN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY

OBJECTIVE: While topical androgen administration is widely used in the treatment of lichen sclerosus of the vulva, localization ard level of expression of androgen receptor (AR) have not been described previous ly. METHODS: Thirty-nine paraffin-embedded punch biopsies of patients with lichen sclerosus of the vulva were examined. Androgen receptor, e strogen receptor (ER), and progesterone receptor (PR) expression in li chen sclerosus and in normal vulvar skirt were investigated by immunoh istochemistry. RESULTS: Five tissue specimens (12.8%) of lichen sclero sus showed nuclear staining with anti-AR in the parabasal cell layers of the epidermis. Median age of patients with positive nuclear stainin g for AR versus women without AR expression was 71 (range, 63-78) and 66.5 (range, 38-91) years, respectively. Estrogen receptor expression was present in only one patient. Nuclear staining reaction for PR expr ession war absent in all cases. Four of the five AR-positive women rep orted no complaints and therefore received no topical testosterone the rapy. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest a lack of complaints in AR-posit ive lichen sclerosus patients. Our findings could justify a larger stu dy comparing symptoms of patients with and without AR expression. Copy right (C) 1998 by the Society for Gynecologic Investigation.