Screening for mutations of the androgen receptor gene in patients with isolated cryptorchidism

Objective: To evaluate the occurrence of mutations of androgen receptor (AR) gene in patients with isolated cryptorchidism. Design: Controlled clinical study. Setting: Yamagata University Hospital, Yamagata and Tokyo Electric Power Company Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. Patient(s): Patients with isolated cryptorchidism. (n=48) and a control group of men with normal phenotype (n=20). Intervention(s): Blood (lymphocyte DNA). Main Outcome Measure(s): Screening of the AR gene in exons 1-8 using single-strand conformational polymorphism analysis. Result(s): No abnormal band patterns were detected in patients with cryptorchidism or in control subjects within the eight exons of the AR gene. Conclusion(s): AR gene alterations appear to be an unlikely cause of isolated cryptorchidism. (Fertil Steril(R) 2001;76:834-6. (C) 2001 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.).