Editing Dehydroepiandrosterone (section)

====Androgen receptor====
Although it functions as an endogenous [[precursor (biochemistry)|precursor]] to more [[potency (pharmacology)|potent]] androgens such as testosterone and DHT, DHEA has been found to possess some degree of [[androgen]]ic activity in its own right, acting as a low [[affinity (pharmacology)|affinity]] (K<sub>i</sub> = 1 μM), weak [[partial agonist]] of the [[androgen receptor]] (AR). However, its [[intrinsic activity]] at the receptor is quite weak, and on account of that, due to [[competitive inhibition|competition]] for [[molecular binding|binding]] with [[full agonist]]s like testosterone, it can actually behave more like an antagonist depending on circulating testosterone and [[dihydrotestosterone]] (DHT) levels, and hence, like an [[antiandrogen]]. However, its affinity for the receptor is very low, and for that reason, is unlikely to be of much significance under normal circumstances.<ref name="pmid15994348">{{cite journal | vauthors = Chen F, Knecht K, Birzin E, Fisher J, Wilkinson H, Mojena M, Moreno CT, Schmidt A, Harada S, Freedman LP, Reszka AA | title = Direct agonist/antagonist functions of dehydroepiandrosterone | journal = Endocrinology | volume = 146 | issue = 11 | pages = 4568–76 | date = November 2005 | pmid = 15994348 | doi = 10.1210/en.2005-0368 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name="pmid16159155">{{cite journal | vauthors = Gao W, Bohl CE, Dalton JT | title = Chemistry and structural biology of androgen receptor | journal = Chemical Reviews | volume = 105 | issue = 9 | pages = 3352–70 | date = September 2005 | pmid = 16159155 | pmc = 2096617 | doi = 10.1021/cr020456u }}</ref>