Estrogen receptor assay in colonic schistosomal polyps

ABSTRACT

The estrogen receptors were quantitated in the cytosolic and nuclear fractions in schistosomal colonic polyps of 20 patients, ten schistosomal mucosae and ten normal control mucosae. Cytosolic estrogen receptors [cer] were found in 85% of polyps while nuclear estrogen receptors [ner] were found in only 15% of the polyps together with the cer. The binding capacity of the cer in polyps ranged from 24.8 to 1197.2 f mol/mg protein with a mean of 273.35 fmol/mg protein and for the ner it ranged from 130.8 to 851.7 fmol/ml protein with a mean of 425.8 fmol/mg protein. The concentration of cer in the surrounding mucosa varied from 10 to 225 fmol/mg protein with a mean of 133.75 fmol/mg protein. While that of mer varied from 80 to 555 fmol/mg protein with a mean of 328.333 mg protein in the mucosa surrounding the polyps. In colonic mucosa of 10 controls, ner were found in 40% of cases, while ner were found in only 20% of cases. The binding capacity of cer ranged from 21 to 166 fmol/mg protein with a mean of 75.5 fmol/mg protein, while the mean of ner was 180 fmol/mg protein. The incidence and concentration of ER were higher in young age groups of patients, and in those with hyperplastic or dysplastic changes and with large sized polyps. This may reveal a hormonal influence on schistososmal polyps