What type of receptors are RAR and RXR?

Retinoic acid receptors (RARs) are ligand-controlled transcription factors that function as heterodimers with retinoid X receptors (RXRs) to regulate cell growth, differentiation, survival and death.

What is retinoic acid response element?

RARs have functional domains for retinoic acid binding, dimerization, and transactivation. RA response elements (RARE) found in the promoters of many genes consist of variable direct repeats of the sequence PuGGTCA spaced by five nucleotides (DR5). We have identified a novel DR5 element in the human ets-1 promoter.

Is retinoic acid a transcription factor?

The retinoic acid receptors are transcription factors which bind as RAR-RXR heterodimers to particular sequences, the retinoic acid response elements (RAREs) in the regulatory region of specific target genes (Figure 1).

What is an RAR agonist?

RAR agonists were identified as potent proliferators of CPCs as measured by nuclear count and their activity and pharmacology confirmed in biochemical and RAR agonist‐antagonist competition experiments. These compounds were subsequently shown to not proliferate CFs, a numerous and critical cell type in the human heart.

Is RAR a nuclear receptor?

The retinoic acid receptor (RAR) is a type of nuclear receptor which can also act as a transcription factor that is activated by both all-trans retinoic acid and 9-cis retinoic acid.

What binds to retinoic acid receptor?

The retinoic acid receptors bind all-trans retinoic acid and 9-cis retinoic acid with a high affinity, exhibiting Kd values in the 0.2–0.7 nM range88 (see reference 106 for a review).

How does retinoic acid cause differentiation?

Retinoids generated by one cell type can affect nearby cells, so retinoids also function in intercellular communication. RA induces differentiation primarily by binding to RARs, transcription factors that associate with RXRs and bind RAREs in the nucleus.

Is retinoic acid good for skin?

Retinoids reduce fine lines and wrinkles by increasing the production of collagen. They also stimulate the production of new blood vessels in the skin, which improves skin color. Additional benefits include fading age spots and softening rough patches of skin.

What do retinoid receptors do?

The retinoid receptors function to regulate gene expression through the ability to adapt conformations that induce transcriptional activity in the presence of ligand or repress transcriptional activity in its absence.

What happens when retinoic acid binds to RAR?

Retinoic acid receptors (RARs) are nuclear transcription factors that, once activated by retinoic acid (RA), regulate the expression of RA target genes, leading to changes in cell differentiation, cell proliferation, and apoptosis.