title: Androgen receptor in hepatocarcinogenesis: Recent developments and perspectives.
abstract: Previous studies have indicated that males are at a higher risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) compared with females. Identifying the factors that cause this gender-speciﬁc difference in the incidence of HCC has long been considered important for revealing the molecular mechanisms involved in hepatocarcinogenesis. Given the unprecedented tools that are now available for molecular research, genetic studies have established that the androgen receptor (AR) may be partly responsible for gender disparity in HCC. AR has a dual role, promoting HCC initiation and development, as well as suppressing HCC metastasis. The present review provides an overview of the involvement of AR signaling in HCC. The review highlighted important studies, examples of the direct AR transcriptional target genes involved in HCC and novel theories concerning the conventional concept, suggesting that targeting the AR, rather than the androgen, may provide an improved therapeutic approach for the treatment of HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Luzhou Medical College, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Y E
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: X U
authors.initials: XU
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Anhui Provincial Hospital, Hefei, Anhui 230001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Luzhou Medical College, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: W U
authors.initials: WU
authors.lastname: Zhong
keywords: androgen receptor; hepatocellular carcinoma