Figure 1.

Androgen receptor signaling in cancer stem cells. (a) Testosterone, due to its hydrophobic characteristics, crosses the cell membrane ①. Once in the cytoplasm, it can be metabolized into DHT ② or directly bind to the AR ③. The interaction of the AR with its ligand generates conformational changes that release it from heat shock proteins ④ that keep it stable in the cytoplasm and protect it from degradation. Once the AR is bound to its ligand, it can be phosphorylated ⑤ and subsequently form a homodimer ⑥, which can translocate to the nucleus and recognize specific gene sequences ⑦. (b) The activated AR in CSCs may promote the expression of genes associated with stemness. However, its effects on self-renewal, differentiation, and tumorigenic capacity seem to depend on the tumor context. Created with Biorender.com.