Correlating Androgen and Estrogen Steroid Receptor Expression with Coronary Calcification and Atherosclerosis in Men without Known Coronary Artery Disease

Accumulating data emphasize the gender specificity of key components of the atherosclerotic process and the importance of gonadal steroids on the human vasculature. Steroid receptors, including the androgen receptor (AR) and estrogen receptors (ERs) alpha and beta are expressed in key vascular tissues, including endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells. However, the relative abundance and importance of these receptors in the coronary artery are not well defined, particularly in men. We therefore examined AR, ER alpha, and ER beta expression as a function of key components of atherosclerosis, namely plaque and calcium area, in male human coronary arteries.