title: Retinoid pathway and cancer therapeutics.
abstract: The retinoids are a class of compounds that are structurally related to vitamin A. Retinoic acid, which is the active metabolite of retinol, regulates a wide range of biological processes including development, differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. Retinoids exert their effects through a variety of binding proteins including cellular retinol-binding protein (CRBP), retinol-binding proteins (RBP), cellular retinoic acid-binding protein (CRABP), and nuclear receptors i.e. retinoic acid receptor (RAR) and retinoid x receptor (RXR). Because of the pleiotropic effects of retinoids, understanding the function of these binding proteins and nuclear receptors assists us in developing compounds that have specific effects. This review summarizes our current understanding of how retinoids are processed and act with an emphasis on the application of retinoids in cancer treatment and prevention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bushue
authors.forename: Yu-Jui Yvonne
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D047488:Retinoid X Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D012176:Retinoids / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D054840:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Cellular / Q000378:metabolism; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000378:metabolism; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; D047488:Retinoid X Receptors; D012176:Retinoids; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins; D054840:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Cellular; D014801:Vitamin A; D014212:Tretinoin