4-oxoretinol and 4-oxoretinoic-acid

We previously demonstrated that 4-oxoretinol (4-oxo-ROL) activated retinoic acid receptors (RARs) in F9 stem cells. We showed that 4-oxo-ROL inhibited the proliferation of normal human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs). To understand the mechanisms by which 4-oxo-ROL regulates HMEC growth we examined gene expression profiles following 4-oxo-ROL or all-trans retinoic acid (tRA). We also compared growth inhibition by tRA, 4-oxo-ROL, or 4-oxo-RA. All three retinoids inhibited HMEC proliferation. Gene expression analyses indicated that 4-oxo-ROL and tRA modulated gene expression in closely related pathways. The expression of many genes, e.g. ATP-binding cassette G1 (ABCG1); adrenergic receptorbeta2 (ADRB2); ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate (RAC2); and short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase 1 gene (SDR1) was changed after 4-oxo-ROL or tRA. Metabolism of these retinoids was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In 1 microM tRA treated HMECs all of the tRA was found intracellularly, and tRA was the predominant intracellular retinoid. In 1 microM 4-oxo-ROL treated HMECs most 4-oxo-ROL was esterified to 4-oxoretinyl esters, no tRA was detected, and 4-oxo-ROL and 4-oxo-RA were observed intracellularly. In 1 microM 4-oxoretinoic acid (4-oxo-RA) treated HMECs little intracellular 4-oxo-RA was detected; most 4-oxo-RA was in the medium. Our results indicate that: (a) 4-oxo-ROL regulates gene expression and inhibits proliferation of HMECs; (b) 4-oxo-ROL and tRA regulate some of the same genes; (c) more tRA is found in cells, as compared to 4-oxoretinoic acid, when each drug is added at the same concentration in the medium; and (d) the mechanism by which 4-oxo-ROL exerts its biological activity does not involve intracellular tRA production.

Topics: Biological Transport; Cell Proliferation; Cells, Cultured; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Epithelial Cells; Female; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation; Humans; Mammary Glands, Human; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger; Time Factors; Transcription, Genetic; Tretinoin; Vitamin A

Retinoids are a large family of natural and synthetic compounds related to vitamin A that have pleiotropic effects on body physiology, reproduction, immunity, and embryonic development. The diverse activities of retinoids are primarily mediated by two families of nuclear retinoic acid receptors, the RARs and RXRs. Retinoic acids are thought to be the only natural ligands for these receptors and are widely assumed to be the active principle of vitamin A. However, during an unbiased, bioactivity-guided fractionation of Xenopus embryos, we were unable to detect significant levels of all-trans or 9-cis retinoic acids. Instead, we found that the major bioactive retinoid in the Xenopus egg and early embryo is 4-oxoretinaldehyde, which is capable of binding to and transactivating RARs. In addition to its inherent activity, 4-oxoretinaldehyde appears to be a metabolic precursor of two other RAR ligands, 4-oxoretinoic acid and 4-oxoretinol. The remarkable increase in activity of retinaldehyde and retinol as a consequence of 4-oxo derivatization suggests that this metabolic step could serve a critical regulatory function during embryogenesis.

Topics: Animals; Binding, Competitive; Cell Line; Female; Ligands; Receptors, Retinoic Acid; Retinaldehyde; Retinoid X Receptors; Retinoids; Transcription Factors; Transfection; Tretinoin; Vitamin A; Xenopus

All-trans [11-3H]4,4- difluororetinyl acetate was synthesized by treating methyl all-trans [11-3H]4- oxoretinoate with diethylaminosulfurtrifluoride , followed by reduction and acetylation of the product. After oral administration of the radioactive difluoro analog in oil to rats, difluororetinol , difluororetinyl palmitate and related esters, 4- oxoretinol , 4- oxoretinoic acid and polar conjugated derivatives were identified in the intestine, liver, kidney and/or blood. The major metabolic products were difluororetinyl palmitate and related esters, which were stored in the liver. The presence of the difluoro analog in liver oil from treated rats was confirmed by 19F-NMR spectroscopy. Neither retinol nor retinyl esters were detected as products of the metabolism of the difluoro analog. Nonetheless, all-trans difluororetinyl acetate showed 26 +/- 12% of the biological activity of all-trans retinyl acetate in the rat growth assay. Presumably, the difluoro analog is active per se in growth rather than by conversion to retinol or to one of its known growth-promoting metabolites. In general, however, the difluoro analog was metabolized in a manner very similar to vitamin A. The vitamin A moiety of administered difluororetinyl acetate and retinyl acetate was poorly stored (1.8-3.3%) in the liver of vitamin A-depleted rats, confirming and extending past reports that the liver storage mechanism is severely impaired when initial liver stores are very low.

Topics: Animals; Biological Assay; Body Weight; Diterpenes; Feces; Kinetics; Liver; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Male; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Retinyl Esters; Tissue Distribution; Tretinoin; Vitamin A