Cutaneous Expression of Estrogen, Androgen and Glucocorticoid Receptors in Striae Distensae

Background: Stretch marks or striae distensae (SD) can be considered a common skin disorder, but their physiopathogenic mechanisms have not been totally clarified. Although itis considered an esthetic complaint, it may have serious psychosocial consequences besides the local and systemic alterations of the conjunctive tissue. This study aims at assessing and quantifying the estrogen, androgen and glucocorticoid receptors in skin samples with striae and comparing with normal skin. Methods: Skin samples for biopsy were obtained from thirty patients with (SD) (10) patients following systemic corticosteroid therapy and (10) patients following pregnancy, and (10) from obese patients and (20) normal controls. Tissue specimens were immediately fixed in neutral buffered formalin (10%) for 24 hours and underwent processing to assess histopathological features by H&E stain for all slides to be studied by ordinary microscopy and to estimate Estrogen, Androgen and Glucocorticoid receptors expressions by immunohistochemical analysis as anti-Estrogen & anti-androgen were performed for all biopsies using Avidine-Biotin complex technique while anti glucocorticoid was performed for all biopsies using (AEC) technique. Results: When the estrogen receptor in the skin with (SD) was compared with healthy skin, it was significantly higher in healthy skin than skin with (SD), while it was found that androgen and glucocorticoid were higher in skin with (SD) than healthy skin. Conclusions: These findings indicate that regions undergoing greater mechanical stretching of the skin may have altered hormonal receptor expression and this varied expression may influence the metabolism of the extracellular matrix, causing the formation of (SD). The preliminary results appeared to be relevant and represented an initial step towards an understanding of the pathophysiology of (SD).