The effect of hormonal status on the expression of estrogen and progesterone receptor in vaginal wall and periurethral tissue in urogynecological patients

Abstract Objective Our objective was to study the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) isoforms ER alpha (α) and ER beta (β) and of progesterone receptor (PR) in the vaginal wall and in periurethral tissue of women who underwent urogynecological surgical treatment with reference to estrogen status. Study design The study included 89 patients undergoing vaginal surgery for urogynecological conditions. Patients’ history and clinical data including estrogen status and body mass index (BMI) were evaluated. Biopsies from the vaginal wall and from periurethral tissue were obtained during surgery. The expression of ER α and β and of PR in vaginal wall and periurethral tissue was measured by RT-PCR. Results Nine patients were premenopausal. Eighty women were menopausal, of whom 21 were taking estrogen/progestin replacement therapy (HRT), 20 used local estrogen, and 39 had no endocrine treatment. Neither BMI nor age had any influence on the expression of ER and PR. Menopausal women showed a higher amount of PR expression in vaginal tissue than premenopausal women. Women with no endocrine treatment showed a lower amount of ER β expression in vaginal tissue. Conclusion Steroid receptors are expressed in periurethral and vaginal tissue. The receptor expression varies with hormonal changes only in vaginal tissue. Vaginal tissue seems to be more sensitive to estrogen than periurethral tissue.