[Regulation of cell growth by retinoids and gene expression].

Retinoids are compounds that can elicit specific biological responses by virtue of their binding to and activating a specific receptor or a set of receptors. Retinoids produce various specific biological effects, including induction of terminal differentiation, regulation of cell proliferation, regulation of gene expression and regulation of the activity of specific enzymes in cells. In this article, the effects of retinoids on gene expression are reviewed. Among these effects suppression of myc expression and induction of EGF-receptor mRNA expression are considered to be closely related to regulation of cell proliferation. The effects of retinoids on cell growth are discussed on the basis of these two actions: myc mRNA suppression and EGFR mRNA induction. The mode of retinoidal action seems to be similar to that of steroids, as many investigators suggest. The molecular mechanism of retinoidal action is considered to be the formation of a retinoid-receptor complex and its interaction with regulatory elements of DNA. The possibility of application of the methodology used in the investigation of steroidal action to the study of retinoidal action is also discussed.