Short androgen receptor poly‐glutamine‐promoted endometrial cancer is associated with benzo[a]pyrene‐mediated aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation

The androgen receptor (AR) poly-glutamine polymorphism (AR-Q) was reported to play role in endometrial cancer (EMCA) development, yet controversial. Environmental factors interact with genetic variation have been reported in EMCA. Aerosol toxins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), are EMCA facilitators. This report examined the interplay between AR-Qs and BaP in EMCA. During analysing patient AR-Q polymorphism and Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) expressions, we found overall survival (OS) benefit is ascending with AR-Q lengths (5-year OS of 61.3% in Q length <20 and 88% in Q length >23). And AhR is higher expressed in short AR-Q tumour compared to that in long AR-Q patient. In vitro study found androgen-response element (ARE) activity descends with AR-Qs length (Q13 > Q25 > Q35), whereas BaP suppresses ARE activities in EMCA cells. Furthermore, AR-Q13 (but not AR-Q25, or -35) enhances BaP-induced dioxin-responsive element (DRE) activity. Lastly, AR-Q13 exerts higher colony-forming capacity than other AR-Qs, and knock-down AhR abolished AR-Q13-mediated colony numbers. This study demonstrated a possible interaction of gene (AR-Q polymorphism) and environmental toxins (e.g. BaP) to affect cancer progression. A large-scale epidemiology and public health survey on the interaction of environmental toxin and AR poly-Q in EMCA is suggested.