Androgen receptor splice variants and polycystic ovary syndrome: cause or effect?

Androgen receptor (AR)-mediated androgen action provides not only a classical pivotal role in male development and functions but also a recently proven role in female reproductive physiology. Splice variants of AR are reported to occur in various androgen-sensitive cancers and now, a recent study by Wang et al. proposed that AR splice variants have an etiological role in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Although further investigations are required to fully appraise the significance of their discovery, these seminal findings have exciting and important implications for opening a new chapter in the understanding of the role of AR signaling in the origins and pathogenesis of PCOS.