Retinoic aid increases arrestin mRNA levels in the mouse retina.
Arrestin, which plays a role in the termination of the visual transduction cascade, is one of several photoreceptor proteins whose mRNA levels are increased by light. Retinoic acid, a by-product of photoreceptor signaling and a potent modulator of hormonal transcription control, is one candidate for regulating the arrestin mRNA levels. Here we show that retinoic acid, injected intraperitoneally into dark-adapted mice, increases the arrestin mRNA levels and mimics the effect of light. Injection of 1 mumol of retinoic acid produces a maximal increase in arrestin mRNA levels. The mRNA level reaches a maximum 3 h after injection and slowly declines thereafter. The observations suggest that retinoic acid may mediate the increase in arrestin mRNA produced by light.
Wagner
E
E
E. Kennedy Shriver Center, Waltham, Massachusetts 02254, USA.
McCaffery
P
P
Mey
J
J
Farhangfar
F
F
Applebury
M L
ML
Dräger
U C
UC
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D019393:Arrestin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D003624:Darkness; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008027:Light; D051379:Mice; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology*
D019393:Arrestin; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014212:Tretinoin