The Role of Androgen Receptors in the Clinical Course of Nevus Sebaceus of Jadassohn

Abstract

Nevus sebaceus of Jadassohn (NSJ) is a benign, congenital hamartoma that often presents at birth, appears to regress in childhood, and grows during puberty, suggesting possible hormonal control. We studied 18 cases of NSJ from children and adults for immunohistochemical evidence of androgen receptor expression. The lesions were evaluated for location and pattern of immunostaining, and these findings were compared between age groups, sexes, and to androgen receptor expression in normal skin. Androgen receptor positivity was seen in the sebaceous glands, in eccrine glands with and without apocrine change, and rarely in keratinocytes in the sebaceous nevi. There were no significant differences in staining location or pattern between the age groups or sexes. Normal skin showed similar staining in the sebaceous glands but did not show staining of the eccrine glands or keratinocytes. Androgen receptors are present in all epithelial components of NSJ, but there is no change in androgen receptor expression during puberty.

Maspin expression in normal skin and usual cutaneous carcinomas

“…It has been shown that activated androgen receptors (ARs) can bind to the HRE and block the transcription of maspin in prostate cancer cell lines [35]. ARs are ubiquitously distributed in the human body, and it would be tempting to speculate that ARs play a role in the regulation of maspin expression in cutaneous structures [2,3,8,29]. In the skin ARs are consistently observed in seboblasts and in a variable proportion of sebocytes [3,8,29].…”

“…ARs are ubiquitously distributed in the human body, and it would be tempting to speculate that ARs play a role in the regulation of maspin expression in cutaneous structures [2,3,8,29]. In the skin ARs are consistently observed in seboblasts and in a variable proportion of sebocytes [3,8,29]. In other cutaneous structures, such as dermal papilla of hair follicles, hair follicle epithelial cells, eccrine and apocrine sweat glands, and keratinocytes, ARs show highly variable expression [3,8,29].…”

“…In the skin ARs are consistently observed in seboblasts and in a variable proportion of sebocytes [3,8,29]. In other cutaneous structures, such as dermal papilla of hair follicles, hair follicle epithelial cells, eccrine and apocrine sweat glands, and keratinocytes, ARs show highly variable expression [3,8,29]. The discrepancies observed in numerous studies may be related to the differences in the tissue samples (frozen vs. formalinfixed), immunohistochemical methods, and antibodies used to assess their distribution [2,3,8,29].…”

“…In other cutaneous structures, such as dermal papilla of hair follicles, hair follicle epithelial cells, eccrine and apocrine sweat glands, and keratinocytes, ARs show highly variable expression [3,8,29]. The discrepancies observed in numerous studies may be related to the differences in the tissue samples (frozen vs. formalinfixed), immunohistochemical methods, and antibodies used to assess their distribution [2,3,8,29]. Notably, in contrast to what have been described in prostate carcinoma cell lines, in which maspin expression is negatively regulated by ARs [35], mature sebocytes concurrently express maspin and ARs.…”

Update on Epidermal Nevi and Associated Syndromes

“…During puberty, lesions increase in size and develop a more verrucous and greasy texture. This is thought to be related to increased circulating androgens stimulating nevus components, including sebaceous glands, keratinocytes, apocrine, and eccrine glands, which express upregulated androgen receptors in NS [14]. Secondary eczematization, similar to Meyerson's phenomenon in melanocytic nevi, has been recently reported in association with NS [15].…”