title: Correlation between the androgen receptor status of the appendix testis and the efficacy of human chorionic gonadotropin treatment in undescended testis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the androgen receptor (AR) status of the appendix testis (AT) in congenital undescended and retractile testes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four appendix testes (AT) were removed from 21 boys to detect AR expression by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining. Group 1 (n = 3) includes ATs from three patients with unilateral and group 2 (n = 6) with bilateral congenital undescended testis. All patients with bilateral form had been previously treated with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) without an acceptable effect. Group 3 (n = 12) includes ATs collected from 12 boys with acquired undescended testis or retractile testicle. Group 4 (n = 3) includes ATs from three young adults who received hCG treatment for undescended testis in their childhood and underwent open testicular biopsy to investigate infertility. Further seven ATs were collected to detect AR mRNA using RT-PCR analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining of ATs showed AR expression in 100 % of the cases in groups 3 and 4 (12/12 and 3/3), but there was no visible AR expression in groups 1 and 2 (0/3 and 0/6); however, RT-PCR analysis revealed mRNA expression of AR both in congenital undescended and in retractile testicles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of AR in the epithelial cells of AT in patients with retractile testicle and its absence in patients with congenital undescended testis can be a possible cause of the effectiveness of hormonal treatment in retractile testis and its inefficacy in patients with congenital undescended testis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Nagyeredi krt. 98, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary, drabikgy@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Gyula
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Drabik
authors.forename: Tamás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Józsa
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ruzsnavszky
authors.forename: Kornél
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kistamás
authors.forename: Beatrix
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dienes
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kovacs
authors.forename: Mátyás
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benyó
authors.forename: Tibor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Flaskó
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D012102:Reproductive Control Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D012102:Reproductive Control Agents