Androgen receptors (ARs) act as transcription factors. An increased AR activity could be due either to mutations or to an increased expression of the receptor. AR mutations involving the hormone binding domain could increase AR function and promote carcinogenesis, as suggested for prostate cancer.
Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (D.E.T.O.), University of Bari, Ospedale Policlinico, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy. m.barone@gastro.uniba.it
