AIS results when the function of the androgen receptor (AR) is impaired. The AR protein (pictured) mediates the effects of androgens in the human body.
Androgen insensitivity syndrome is the largest single entity that leads to 46,XY undermasculinization.[14]
Signs and symptoms
Individuals with mild (or minimal) androgen insensitivity syndrome (grade 1 on the Quigley scale) are born phenotypically male, with fully masculinized genitalia; this category of androgen insensitivity is diagnosed when the degree of androgen insensitivity in an individual with a 46,XY karyotype is great enough to impair virilization or spermatogenesis, but is not great enough to impair normal male genital development.[1][5][6][9] MAIS is the mildest and least known form of androgen insensitivity syndrome.[5][16]
The existence of a variant of androgen insensitivity that solely affected spermatogenesis was theoretical at first.[17] Cases of phenotypically normal males with isolated spermatogenic defect due to AR mutation were first detected as the result of male infertility evaluations.[1][13][18][19] Until then, early evidence in support of the existence of MAIS was limited to cases involving a mild defect in virilization,[15][20] although some of these early cases made allowances for some degree of impairment of genital masculinization, such as hypospadias or micropenis.[21][22][23] It is estimated that 2-3% of infertile men have AR gene mutations.[6] It is also estimated that MAIS is responsible for 40% of male infertility.[24]
Although technically a variant of MAIS, SBMA's presentation is not typical of androgen insensitivity; symptoms do not occur until adulthood and include neuromuscular defects as well as signs of androgen inaction.[26] Neuromuscular symptoms include progressive proximal muscle weakness, atrophy, and fasciculations. Symptoms of androgen insensitivity experienced by men with SBMA are also progressive [26] and include testicular atrophy, severe oligospermia or azoospermia, gynecomastia, and feminized skin changes [29] despite elevated androgen levels.[1] Disease onset, which usually affects the proximal musculature first, occurs in the third to fifth decades of life, and is often preceded by muscular cramps on exertion, tremor of the hands, and elevated muscle creatine kinase.[30] SBMA is often misdiagnosed as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (also known as Lou Gehrig's disease).[27]
The symptoms of SBMA are thought to be brought about by two simultaneous pathways involving the toxic misfolding of proteins and loss of AR functionality.[1] The polyglutamine tract in affected pedigrees tends to increase in length over generations, a phenomenon known as "anticipation",[31] leading to an increase in the severity of the disease as well as a decrease in the age of onset for each subsequent generation of a family affected by SBMA.[26]
Comorbidity
All forms of androgen insensitivity are associated with infertility, though exceptions have been reported for both the mild and partial forms.[4][5][7][33][34][35] Lifespan is not thought to be affected by AIS.[1]
Trinucleotide satellite lengths and AR transcriptional activity
MAIS is only diagnosed in normal phenotypic males, and is not typically investigated except in cases of male infertility.[18] MAIS has a mild presentation that often goes unnoticed and untreated;[15] even with semenological, clinical and laboratory data, it can be difficult to distinguish between men with and without MAIS, and thus a diagnosis of MAIS is not usually made without confirmation of an AR genemutation.[5] The androgen sensitivity index (ASI), defined as the product of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T), is frequently raised in individuals with all forms of AIS, including MAIS, although many individuals with MAIS have an ASI in the normal range.[5] Testosterone levels may be elevated despite normal levels of luteinizing hormone.[15][20][25] Conversion of testosterone (T) to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) may be impaired, although to a lesser extent than is seen in 5α-reductase deficiency.[3] A high ASI in a normal phenotypic male,[46] especially when combined with azoospermia or oligospermia,[5][7] decreased secondaryterminal hair,[27] and/or impaired conversion of T to DHT,[3] can be indicative of MAIS, and may warrant genetic testing.
^ abcdefghijZuccarello D, Ferlin A, Vinanzi C, Prana E, Garolla A, Callewaert L, Claessens F, Brinkmann AO, Foresta C (April 2008). "Detailed functional studies on androgen receptor mild mutations demonstrate their association with male infertility". Clin. Endocrinol. 68 (4): 580–8. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2265.2007.03069.x. PMID17970778. S2CID2783902.
^ abcdefghFerlin A, Vinanzi C, Garolla A, Selice R, Zuccarello D, Cazzadore C, Foresta C (November 2006). "Male infertility and androgen receptor gene mutations: clinical features and identification of seven novel mutations". Clin. Endocrinol. 65 (5): 606–10. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2265.2006.02635.x. PMID17054461. S2CID33713391.
^Giwercman YL, Nikoshkov A, Byström B, Pousette A, Arver S, Wedell A (June 2001). "A novel mutation (N233K) in the transactivating domain and the N756S mutation in the ligand binding domain of the androgen receptor gene are associated with male infertility". Clin. Endocrinol. 54 (6): 827–34. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2265.2001.01308.x. PMID11422119. S2CID23554058.
^Ozülker T, Ozpaçaci T, Ozülker F, Ozekici U, Bilgiç R, Mert M (January 2010). "Incidental detection of Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor by FDG PET/CT imaging in a patient with androgen insensitivity syndrome". Ann Nucl Med. 24 (1): 35–9. doi:10.1007/s12149-009-0321-x. PMID19957213. S2CID10450803.
^ abcdefghPinsky L, Kaufman M, Killinger DW (January 1989). "Impaired spermatogenesis is not an obligate expression of receptor-defective androgen resistance". Am. J. Med. Genet. 32 (1): 100–4. doi:10.1002/ajmg.1320320121. PMID2705470.
^ abGrino PB, Griffin JE, Cushard WG, Wilson JD (April 1988). "A mutation of the androgen receptor associated with partial androgen resistance, familial gynecomastia, and fertility". J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 66 (4): 754–61. doi:10.1210/jcem-66-4-754. PMID3346354.
^ abKooy RF, Reyniers E, Storm K, Vits L, van Velzen D, de Ruiter PE, Brinkmann AO, de Paepe A, Willems PJ (July 1999). "CAG repeat contraction in the androgen receptor gene in three brothers with mental retardation". Am. J. Med. Genet. 85 (3): 209–13. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1096-8628(19990730)85:3<209::AID-AJMG4>3.0.CO;2-2. PMID10398229.
^Edwards A, Hammond HA, Jin L, Caskey CT, Chakraborty R (February 1992). "Genetic variation at five trimeric and tetrameric tandem repeat loci in four human population groups". Genomics. 12 (2): 241–53. doi:10.1016/0888-7543(92)90371-X. PMID1740333.
^Yeh SH, Chiu CM, Chen CL, Lu SF, Hsu HC, Chen DS, Chen PJ (April 2007). "Somatic mutations at the trinucleotide repeats of androgen receptor gene in male hepatocellular carcinoma". Int. J. Cancer. 120 (8): 1610–7. doi:10.1002/ijc.22479. PMID17230529. S2CID22184439.
^Casella R, Maduro MR, Misfud A, Lipshultz LI, Yong EL, Lamb DJ (January 2003). "Androgen receptor gene polyglutamine length is associated with testicular histology in infertile patients". J. Urol. 169 (1): 224–7. doi:10.1016/s0022-5347(05)64073-6. PMID12478141.
^Dowsing AT, Yong EL, Clark M, McLachlan RI, de Kretser DM, Trounson AO (August 1999). "Linkage between male infertility and trinucleotide repeat expansion in the androgen-receptor gene". Lancet. 354 (9179): 640–3. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(98)08413-X. PMID10466666. S2CID1868372.
^ abHiort O, Holterhus PM, Horter T, Schulze W, Kremke B, Bals-Pratsch M, Sinnecker GH, Kruse K (August 2000). "Significance of mutations in the androgen receptor gene in males with idiopathic infertility". J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 85 (8): 2810–5. doi:10.1210/jcem.85.8.6713. PMID10946887. S2CID2071030.
^Rajpert-De Meyts E, Leffers H, Petersen JH, Andersen AG, Carlsen E, Jørgensen N, Skakkebaek NE (January 2002). "CAG repeat length in androgen-receptor gene and reproductive variables in fertile and infertile men". Lancet. 359 (9300): 44–6. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(02)07280-X. PMID11809188. S2CID24126374.
^Hiort O, Horter T, Schulze W, Kremke B, Sinnecker GH (November 1999). "Male infertility and increased risk of diseases in future generations". Lancet. 354 (9193): 1907–8. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(05)76874-4. PMID10584751. S2CID44272921.
^ abYong EL, Ng SC, Roy AC, Yun G, Ratnam SS (September 1994). "Pregnancy after hormonal correction of severe spermatogenic defect due to mutation in androgen receptor gene". Lancet. 344 (8925): 826–7. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(94)92385-X. PMID7993455. S2CID34571405.
^Tincello DG, Saunders PT, Hodgins MB, Simpson NB, Edwards CR, Hargreaves TB, Wu FC (April 1997). "Correlation of clinical, endocrine and molecular abnormalities with in vivo responses to high-dose testosterone in patients with partial androgen insensitivity syndrome". Clin. Endocrinol. 46 (4): 497–506. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2265.1997.1140927.x. PMID9196614. S2CID12260831.