Post-translational modification of the androgen receptor

Regulation of the androgen receptor (AR) by its cognate ligand is well established, but how post-translational modification modulates AR activity is only emerging. The AR is subject to modification by phosphorylation, acetylation, methylation, SUMOylation, and ubiquitination. As several of the enzymes that modify the AR are altered in prostate cancer, defining the context and physiological effects of these modifications could provide insight into mechanisms that underpin human disease. Here, we review how post-translational modification contributes to AR function as a transcription factor with particular emphasis on phosphorylation and dephosphorylation mechanisms. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.