Effect of retinoids on nuclear retinoic acid receptors mRNA in adipose tissue of retinol-deficient rats.

In this study, we examined effects of retinol deficiency and three retinoids, all-trans-retinoic acid, 13-cis-retinoic acid, and etretin, the aromatic derivative of retinoic acid on nuclear retinoic acid receptor isoforms alpha, beta, and gamma mRNA in rat adipose tissue. Retinol deficiency caused an almost 50% decrease in isoform beta mRNA levels of adipose tissue, whereas little change occurred in the abundance of alpha and gamma isoforms transcripts in this tissue. Intragastric administration of all-trans-retinoic acid to retinol-deficient rats increased the adipose tissue retinoic acid receptor isoforms beta and gamma mRNA levels sixfold and twofold, respectively, in 4 h as compared to adipose tissue of retinol-deficient rats that were administered cottonseed oil. In contrast to this, 13-cis-retinoic acid and etretin at equimolar doses were not effective in inducing beta or gamma isoforms mRNA in retinol-deficient rats. These results show that adipose tissue isoform beta responds to retinol deficiency, and all-trans-retinoic acid rapidly induces beta and gamma mRNA isoforms in this tissue. Thus, retinoic acid may regulate expression of specific genes through its interaction with retinoic acid receptors in adipocytes.