Androgen, estrogen and progesterone receptors in vulvar dystrophy.

Assays have been developed for the quantitation of androgen, estrogen and progesterone receptors in the cytosol of 45 vulvar dystrophic tissues. In 27 patients we assayed only cytoplasmatic receptors, while in 18 patients both cytoplasmatic and nuclear receptors. The workers verified the possibility to assay these carriers, finding significant correlations neither with patient's age nor between atrophic and hypertrophic dystrophies. The research concerning the cytoplasmatic depletion and nuclear accumulation allowed us to understand the action mechanism of the androgen in vulvar tissues in patients in menopause.