Biomaterial Database

Retinobenzoic acids and nuclear retinoic acid receptors. 1991

Y Hashimoto

Institute of Applied Microbiology, University of Tokyo, Japan.

Retinoids (retinoic acid and its analogs) are widely involved in the control of cell proliferation, cell differentiation and embryonic development. A series of potent and novel synthetic retinoids named retinobenzoic acids has been developed. Retinobenzoic acids have proven to be useful tools in the investigation of the molecular mechanisms of retinoidal actions. Retinoids elicit their biological effects by binding to and activating specific nuclear receptors for retinoids (RAR's) which belong to the steroid/thyroid nuclear receptor superfamily. Recent investigations concerning the structure and function of nuclear receptors, namely of RAR's, are reviewed. Three subtypes of RAR (RAR-alpha, RAR-beta and RAR-gamma) have been identified so far. Each RAR is considered to play particular roles in the retinoidal actions. The role of each RAR is discussed in relation to their features and to the structure-activity relationships of retinoids. RAR's act as retinoid-dependent transcription factors which bind to a specific site of the gene and control its expression. Recent progress in the investigation of the interaction of RAR's with the responsive genes and with nuclear co-factors is reviewed. The diversity of retinoidal actions are possibly explained by the diversity of RAR's in their structure and in their spatial and temporal distribution, by the diversity of base sequences which interact with RAR's, by the diversity of cell type-specifically determined hierarchy of gene expression, and by the diversity of the nuclear factors which interact with RAR's.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008969	Molecular Sequence Data	Descriptions of specific amino acid, carbohydrate, or nucleotide sequences which have appeared in the published literature and/or are deposited in and maintained by databanks such as GENBANK, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), National Biomedical Research Foundation (NBRF), or other sequence repositories.	Sequence Data, Molecular,Molecular Sequencing Data,Data, Molecular Sequence,Data, Molecular Sequencing,Sequencing Data, Molecular
D002352	Carrier Proteins	Proteins that bind or transport specific substances in the blood, within the cell, or across cell membranes.	Binding Proteins,Carrier Protein,Transport Protein,Transport Proteins,Binding Protein,Protein, Carrier,Proteins, Carrier
D002467	Cell Nucleus	Within a eukaryotic cell, a membrane-limited body which contains chromosomes and one or more nucleoli (CELL NUCLEOLUS). The nuclear membrane consists of a double unit-type membrane which is perforated by a number of pores; the outermost membrane is continuous with the ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM. A cell may contain more than one nucleus. (From Singleton & Sainsbury, Dictionary of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 2d ed)	Cell Nuclei,Nuclei, Cell,Nucleus, Cell
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001483	Base Sequence	The sequence of PURINES and PYRIMIDINES in nucleic acids and polynucleotides. It is also called nucleotide sequence.	DNA Sequence,Nucleotide Sequence,RNA Sequence,DNA Sequences,Base Sequences,Nucleotide Sequences,RNA Sequences,Sequence, Base,Sequence, DNA,Sequence, Nucleotide,Sequence, RNA,Sequences, Base,Sequences, DNA,Sequences, Nucleotide,Sequences, RNA
D012176	Retinoids	A group of tetraterpenes, with four terpene units joined head-to-tail. Biologically active members of this class are used clinically in the treatment of severe cystic ACNE; PSORIASIS; and other disorders of keratinization.	Retinoid
D015870	Gene Expression	The phenotypic manifestation of a gene or genes by the processes of GENETIC TRANSCRIPTION and GENETIC TRANSLATION.	Expression, Gene,Expressions, Gene,Gene Expressions
D018168	Receptors, Retinoic Acid	Proteins in the nucleus or cytoplasm that specifically bind RETINOIC ACID or RETINOL and trigger changes in the behavior of cells. Retinoic acid receptors, like steroid receptors, are ligand-activated transcription regulators. Several types have been recognized.	Retinoic Acid Receptors,Retinoic Acid-Binding Proteins,Retinoic Acid Receptor,Proteins, Retinoic Acid-Binding,Receptor, Retinoic Acid,Retinoic Acid Binding Proteins