Overexpression of Androgen, Oestrogen and Progesterone Receptors in Skin Lesions of Becker’s Naevus

Abstract

Becker's naevus is androgen-dependent. The aim of this study was to investigate whether oestrogen and progesterone receptors are involved in this disorder. Immunohistochemistry showed that epidermal expression of androgen receptors, oestrogen receptors (α, β) and progesterone receptors was higher in skin lesions of Becker's naevus than in perilesional and control skin. Androgen receptor overexpression was observed in pilosebaceous glands, while oestrogen and progesterone receptor overexpression was seen in hair follicles, but not in sebaceous glands in skin lesions compared with perilesional skin. Reverse tran-scription PCR and Western blot revealed that levels of androgen, oestrogen and progesterone receptors were generally upregulated in skin lesions compared with perilesional and control skin, and their expression was usually higher in perilesional than in control skin. These results suggest that simultaneous overexpression of androgen, oestrogen and progesterone receptors might be implicated in the pathogenesis of Becker's naevus.

An update on Becker's nevus: Pathogenesis and treatment

“…Immunostaining scores for progesterone receptor (PR) were slightly higher in hair follicles rather than sebaceous glands in BN lesion 15 . In conclusion, these results suggest that the pathogenesis of BN may include the simultaneous overexpression or activation of AR, ERα, ERβ and PR 15 …”

“…Significant thickening of the dermis compared to the normal skin on the contralateral side was observed, 13 with mild perivascular lymphohistiocytic infiltration, 15 while nevus cells were not found in BN lesions 2 . BN lesions can show keratotic plugging, rete ridge elongation or fusion, sebaceous hyperplasia, smooth muscle hyperplasia, 14,15 acanthosis, hyperkeratosis, bottom flattening of the rete ridge, variable papillomatosis, and dermal fibrosis (Figure 2). 5,14 …”

“…An increase in androgen receptor (AR) protein and AR messenger RNA (mRNA) has been shown in BN tissue samples 5,18–21 . The outcomes of a study by Sheng et al proposed that the levels of AR mRNA and protein were higher in the epidermis and pilosebaceous glands of BN lesions compared to perilesional and control skin 15 . Compared with perilesional and control skin, two isoforms of the estrogen receptor (ER), there were higher levels of mRNA and protein immunoreactivity for ERα and ERβ, in hair follicles of BN lesions 15 .…”

Design and Application of Receptor-Targeted Fluorescent Probes Based on Small Molecular Fluorescent Dyes

“…In addition to cancers, the overexpression of certain receptors or the specific expression of certain receptors has been observed in many other diseases, such as inflammatory diseases, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lung-related diseases, Becker’s nevi, central nervous system disorders, and metabolic diseases. − In such diseases, the overexpressed or specific expressed receptors can be used as a target for the diagnosis and treatment, and the receptor-targeted fluorescent probes have been used with an aim of benefiting the diagnosis and pathological analysis of the related diseases. , …”

Clinical and Dermoscopic Features of Follicular Becker's Nevus

“…Androgens play a role in this condition as seen by peri-pubertal development, hypertrichosis, acneiform lesions in the involved area, and hypertrichosis, with an increase in androgen receptors in the involved skin noted. [ 2 ]…”