2012/11/16 by Takahiro Μatsumoto, Takahiro Matsumoto, Matomo Sakari +6 · 266 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Medicine · #Androgen #Androgen receptor #Bioinformatics #Biology #Cancer #Cell biology #Chromatin #Endocrinology #Epigenetics #Gene #Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities #Genetics #Histone #Hormone #Internal medicine #Medicine #Nuclear receptor #Prostate Cancer Treatment and Research #Prostate cancer #Regulator #Sexual Differentiation and Disorders #Signal transduction #Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy #Transcription factor
paper · doi:10.1146/annurev-physiol-030212-183656
published in Annual Review of Physiology 75(1), 201-224 (Annual Reviews)
openalex publication_date 2012/11/16 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Androgens play pivotal roles in the regulation of male development and physiological processes, particularly in the male reproductive system. Most biological effects of androgens are mediated by the action of nuclear androgen receptor (AR). AR acts as a master regulator of downstream androgen-dependent signaling pathway networks. This ligand-dependent transcriptional factor modulates gene expression through the recruitment of various coregulator complexes, the induction of chromatin reorganization, and epigenetic histone modifications at target genomic loci. Dysregulation of androgen/AR signaling perturbs normal reproductive development and accounts for a wide range of pathological conditions such as androgen-insensitive syndrome, prostate cancer, and spinal bulbar muscular atrophy. In this review we summarize recent advances in understanding of the epigenetic mechanisms of AR action as well as newly recognized aspects of AR-mediated androgen signaling in both men and women. In addition, we offer a perspective on the use of animal genetic model systems aimed at eventually developing novel therapeutic AR ligands.