{
  "abstract": "Background AR-related molecular subtypes, such as the luminal androgen receptor (LAR) subtype, exhibit distinct biological phenotypes in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), but the significance of AR expression as a single gene, particularly at single-cell resolution, remains incompletely understood. Methods We analyzed four bulk TNBC cohorts (TCGA, n = 170; METABRIC, n = 335; SCAN-B, n = 174; ORIEN, n = 483) and two single-cell RNA-sequencing cohorts (GSE246613, n = 21; Xu et al., n = 26). Bulk analyses evaluated molecular subtypes, proliferation-related pathways, genomic features, immune-cell abundance, and survival. Single-cell analyses assessed epithelial cell states, pathway activity, cell-cycle characteristics, and cell–cell communication. Results AR-high tumors were enriched for LAR and molecular apocrine subtypes and had lower histologic grade. AR-expressing epithelial cells showed reduced proliferative activity, with greater G1-phase representation and lower S- and G2M-phase activity. Consistently, AR-high tumors showed lower MKI67 expression and reduced proliferation-related pathway activity. AR-high tumors also had fewer TP53 mutations and more PIK3CA mutations. TGFβ-related activity was increased in AR-expressing epithelial cells, while AR-high tumors showed distinct immune-cell composition, including lower estimated Th1/Th2 abundance and higher M2 macrophage abundance. AR expression was not independently associated with survival. Conclusions AR expression identifies a distinct, low-proliferative biological state in TNBC characterized by altered cell-cycle activity, genomic features, enhanced TGFβ-related signaling, and a specific immune-cell composition.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 10,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Kei KAWASHIMA",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-2503-9350"
    },
    {
      "name": "Reika Matsushita"
    },
    {
      "name": "Eslam A. Elsaedy"
    },
    {
      "name": "Amanda Copeland"
    },
    {
      "name": "Masanori Oshi"
    },
    {
      "name": "Akimitsu Yamada"
    },
    {
      "name": "Kazutaka Narui"
    },
    {
      "name": "Takashi Ishikawa"
    },
    {
      "name": "Itaru Endo"
    },
    {
      "name": "Kazuaki Takabe",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-6435-4241"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0hfe3zrdngpvq.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.21203/rs.3.rs-11368679/v1",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13734267/",
  "id": "0hfe3zrdngpvq",
  "issns": [
    "2693-5015"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-11368679/v1",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Article"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1306|Breast Cancer Treatment Studies"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7225061095",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-11368679/latest.pdf",
  "pmcid": "PMC13734267",
  "pmid": "42990553",
  "published": "2026-11-01",
  "publisher": "American Journal Experts",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0hfe3zrdngpvq.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-08T12:23:53Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13734267",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-11368679/v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:1306|Breast Cancer Treatment Studies",
      "subfield": "oncology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Androgen receptor expression is associated with a distinct low-proliferative phenotype in triple-negative breast cancer",
  "title_text": "Androgen receptor expression is associated with a distinct low-proliferative phenotype in triple-negative breast cancer",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-08T12:23:53Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0hfe3zrdngpvq",
  "venue": "Research Square",
  "versions": []
}