Abstract:

Abstract Objective To investigate the distribution of estrogen receptor β(ERβ) in the skin of of melasma patients, to understand the role of estrogen in the pathogenesis of melasma. Methods The distribution of ERβ was detected by immunohistochemical stain in the pigmented lesion and normal skin in melasma patients，then the correlation of its expression intensity and severity of pigment was analyzed for comparison. Results ERβ expressed strongly in the nucleus of the cell of epidermis and hair follicle’s outer root sheath in pigmentation lesion, and weaken from basal layer of epidermis to superficial. It expressed also in sebaceous glands，sweat glands，dermis fibroblast and vessel endothelial cell. It is positive correlation between the expression ERβ in the epidermis and the severity of pigment. Conclusion ERβ expresses in the skin and its appendant. It may be playing an important role in the process of the skin aging and skin pigmentation.

Key words: estrogen receptor β