Androgen receptor expression in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix.

If in vitro studies have demonstrated a potential interaction between human papillomavirus (HPV) and androgen receptor (AR), their expression in vivo during cervical carcinogenesis remains unknown. To clarify the issue, we have tested by immunohistochemistry the expression status of AR in low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (LSIL-CIN1) (n=30), high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (HSIL-CIN2/3) (n=30), and invasive squamous cell carcinoma (ISCC) (n=13). All the patients with these lesions have got a corresponding liquid-based cytology and were proved to be HPV positive by using hybrid capture II methodology with probes against high-risk oncogenic HPVs (HR-HPVs). Thirty cases of normal exocervix epithelium served as controls. The evaluation of AR expression was performed by using H-score system, and an H-score >50 was considered positive. Androgen receptor expression was observed in 100% of normal epithelium (30/30) and LSIL (30/30), but only in 63% of HSIL (19/30) and 23% of ISCC (3/13). A statistically significant difference (P<0.05) concerning this expression was found between normal epithelium and HSIL or ISCC, between LSIL and HSIL or ISCC, and between HSIL and ISCC. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study describing that the loss of AR expression is a frequent and common event in HSIL and ISCC resulting probably from complex interactions between HR-HPVs and these receptors. These data provide new insights concerning a potential role of androgen and AR in cervical carcinogenesis, which should be confirmed in furthers studies.