Structures of cellular retinoic acid binding proteins I and II in complex with synthetic retinoids.

Retinoids play important roles in diverse cellular processes including growth, cell differentiation and vision. Many natural and synthetic retinoids are used as drugs in dermatology and oncology. A large amount of data has been accumulated on the cellular activity of different synthetic retinoids. They are stabilized and transported inside the cell cytoplasm by binding and transport proteins, such as cellular retinol-binding proteins and cellular retinoic acid binding proteins (CRABPs). The structures of human CRABP II in complex with two different synthetic retinoids, Ro13-6307 and Ro12--7310 (at 2.1 and 2.0 A resolution, respectively) and of bovine CRABP I in complex with a retinobenzoic acid, Am80 (at 2.8 A resolution) are described. The binding affinities of human CRABP I and II for the retinoids studied here have been determined. All these compounds have comparable binding affinities (nanomolar range) for both CRABPs. Apart from the particular interactions of the carboxylate group of the retinoids with specific protein groups, each structure reveals characteristic interactions. Studying the atomic details of the interaction of retinoids with retinoid-binding proteins facilitates the understanding of the kinetics of retinoid trafficking inside the cytoplasm.

In vitro inhibition of prostaglandin biosynthesis in squamous cell carcinoma by retinoids.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of four natural and synthetic retinoids: Ro 12-7310 (I), Ro 13-7410 (II), 13-cis-retinoic acid (III), and Ro 13-7652 (IV) on the synthesis of PGE2 in human squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tongue (SCC-25). 5 X 10(6) cells were plated and labeled with 0.2 microCi of (14C)-arachidonic acid (AA) in 2 ml of DMEM/F12 containing 0.1% BSA for 4 h. The cells were then washed, and incubated in serum-free medium with the retinoids (10,20,30,40 microM) for 1 h. The cells were further stimulated with melittin an additional hour. Radioactive metabolites released in media were then extracted with diethyl ether. The ether extracts were separated by TLC and radioactive PGE2 zone was quantitated by means of liquid scintillation counting. The rank order of percent inhibition of PGE2 synthesis by retinoids at four concentration levels was (I) greater than (II) greater than (III) greater than (IV). Since inhibition of PG production has been demonstrated to suppress growth of tumors in animal models and humans, further study on the effect of retinoids on growth of SCC in vitro as well as in vivo seems warranted.

Biotransformation of etretinate and developmental toxicity of etretin and other aromatic retinoids in teratogenesis bioassays.

Developmental toxicity of the anti-psoriatic drug etretinate (Tegison) and some features of its metabolic conversion to etretin and isoetretin were investigated in in vivo and in vitro teratogenesis bioassays. We found that a single dose of etretinate administered orally to pregnant mice on day 11 of gestation was a potent teratogen (ED50 = 26 mg/kg). Etretin (acitretin, Neotigason), given as a single dose, was about 8-fold less active as a teratogen than etretinate. A ring substituted congener of etretinate, Ro 11-4768, was essentially inactive under similar conditions. Although the mechanisms which operate to make Ro 11-4768 inactive in teratogenesis are unknown and intriguing, it is suggested that the differences between etretinate and etretin may be dependent on individual pharmacokinetic characteristics. The in vitro chondrogenesis bioassay confirmed previous reports that the presence of an acidic endgroup was necessary for suppression of chondrogenesis, and that on that basis etretin was an active inhibitor of chondrogenesis, whereas etretinate was not. Introduction of esterase into the culture medium resulted in complete hydrolysis of etretinate and a quantitative conversion to acid congeners sufficient to account for an appropriate suppression in chondrogenesis. Although limb bud cells were virtually incapable of converting etretinate to etretin in the absence of exogenous esterase, they did influence the metabolism so that in the presence of esterase, isoetretin rather than etretin was the major endproduct of etretinate hydrolysis. Since etretinate therapy endangers the conceptus for a prolonged period of time even after cessation of therapy, further studies are necessary to determine the nature and the extent of hazard posed by the storage and/or metabolism of etretinate.