Retinoid activation of retinoic acid receptor but not retinoid X receptor is sufficient to rescue lethal defect in retinoic acid synthesis.
Two isomers of retinoic acid (RA) may be necessary as ligands for retinoid signaling: all-trans-RA for RA receptors (RARs) and 9-cis-RA for retinoid X receptors (RXRs). This was explored by using retinaldehyde dehydrogenase (Raldh)2-/- mouse embryos lacking mesodermal RA synthesis that display early growth arrest unless rescued by all-trans-RA administration. Because isomerization of all-trans-RA to 9-cis-RA can occur, it is unclear whether both ligands are needed for rescue. We show here that an RAR-specific ligand can rescue Raldh2-/- embryos as efficiently as all-trans-RA, whereas an RXR-specific ligand has no effect. Further, whereas all-trans-RA was detected in embryos, 9-cis-RA was undetectable unless a supraphysiological dose of all-trans-RA was administered, revealing that 9-cis-RA is of pharmacological but not physiological significance. Because 9-cis-RA is undetectable and unnecessary for Raldh2-/- rescue, and others have shown that 4-oxo-RA is unnecessary for mouse development, all-trans-RA emerges as the only ligand clearly necessary for retinoid receptor signaling.
Mic
Felix A
FA
OncoDevelopmental Biology Program, Burnham Institute, 10901 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Molotkov
Andrei
A
Benbrook
Doris M
DM
Duester
Gregg
G
D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D000077556:Alitretinoin; D000818:Animals; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008024:Ligands; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D011247:Pregnancy; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D047488:Retinoid X Receptors; D012176:Retinoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000378:metabolism*
D008024:Ligands; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; D047488:Retinoid X Receptors; D012176:Retinoids; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000077556:Alitretinoin; D014212:Tretinoin; D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases; C470579:RALDH2 protein, mouse