Membrane rafts as potential sites of nongenomic hormonal signaling in prostate cancer

Recent evidence indicates that nuclear receptors for steroid hormones can signal by nongenomic mechanisms that operate independently of their transcription function. These signal-transduction processes occur within seconds to minutes after initiation with agonist and involve interactions between nuclear receptors and other signaling proteins in the cytoplasm and at membrane surfaces. This review provides an overview of published information on possible nongenomic activities of the androgen receptor (AR) and other nuclear receptors, focusing on the potential involvement of these processes in prostate cancer. We discuss the hypothesis that the cholesterol-rich lipid-raft compartment(s) of cancer-cell membranes might provide privileged sites for nongenomic signals mediated by the AR.