The ratio of COL2A1:COL1A1 in dartos tissue patients with hypospadias.

Background: The inelasticity of dartos tissue and the regulation of collagen expression are significant factors in the pathophysiology of chordee associated with hypospadias. While the COL2A1:COL1A1 ratio is recognised as a measure of cell differentiation, there is yet to be a study specifically examining this ratio in hypospadias. The aim of this study was to determine the COL2A1:COL1A1 ratio.

Methods: We collected 55 samples of dartos tissue, comprising 35 from patients with hypospadias procured from urethroplasty procedures and 20 from patients with phimosis collected during circumcision without any lichen cases at our institution. The gene expression levels of COL1A1 and COL2A1 in the dartos tissue were analyzed using reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).

Results: Based on the type of penile abnormality, the expression levels of COL1A1 and COL2A1 measured by qPCR were downregulated in hypospadias, with value of 0.83 (0.38-2.53) and 0.43 (0.10-5.66), respectively, compared to phimosis, which had levels of 1.85 (1.24-4.61) and 0.94 (0.26-2.47) (p < 0.001). The expression levels of COL1A1 and COL2A1 were also significantly downregulated among mild, moderate, severe penile curvature, and control groups (p < 0.001 and p = 0.02). However, the COL2A1:COL1A1 ratio did not show statistically significant differences based on penile abnormalities and curvature (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: The expression levels of COL1A1 and COL2A1 are significantly downregulated in patients with hypospadias and ventral curvature when compared to those in the phimosis group. However, the COL2A1:COL1A1 ratio was not significant.