Effects of long-term high dose testosterone administration on vaginal epithelium structure and estrogen receptor-α and -ß expression of young women.
Int J Impot Res
; 25(5): 172-7, 2013 Sep.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-23552580
To date, the effects of long-term testosterone (T) administration on the human vagina are not completely understood. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of long-term T treatment on vaginal tissue histology, estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and beta (ERß) expression and proliferation in female to male transsexual subjects (FtM). We compared vaginal samples from FtM subjects with those of premenopausal women (PrM) and postmenopausal women (M) not receiving any hormonal treatment for at least 2 years. Vaginal tissue samples from 16 FtM subjects treated with T (intramuscular injections of 100 mg Testoviron Depot/7-10 days for at least 1 year), undergoing sex reassignment surgery, and 16 PrM and 16 M subjects undergoing a vaginal hysterectomy for prolapse, were collected. For each sample, morphology, glycogen content, proliferation (ki-67), ERα and ERß expression were evaluated. Vaginal samples from FtM showed a loss of normal architecture of the epithelium, intermediate and superficial layers were completely lost, and glycogen content was depleted. T administration resulted in a strong proliferation reduction when compared with both M and PrM subjects. Stromal and epithelial ERα as well as ERß were significantly decreased in FtM when compared with PrM subjects. In conclusion, our data suggests that systemic T administration at supraphysiological dosage, determines profound changes in histomorphology and reduces ERs expression and proliferation of vaginal epithelium.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Testosterona
/
Vagina
/
Receptor alfa de Estrógeno
/
Receptor beta de Estrógeno
/
Epitelio
/
Procedimientos de Reasignación de Sexo
Límite:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Int J Impot Res
Asunto de la revista:
MEDICINA REPRODUTIVA
/
UROLOGIA
Año:
2013
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Italia
Pais de publicación:
Reino Unido