tretinoin and deoxyuridine-triphosphate

To define the functions of retinoids and their receptors in insulin secretion, we tested the effects of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) and retinoic acid receptor (RAR) expression on cell growth, differentiation, and secretion using insulin-secreting RINm5F cells. Wild-type cells with a low abundance of mRNA for RAR beta were transfected with RAR beta or chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT control). Cells were cultured for 2-7 days in media without (A-def) or with ATRA, 1, 10, 100, and 1,000 nM. At day 2 of culture, ATRA stimulated insulin release in wild-type and transfected cells, and this effect was dose dependent. At 7 days, ATRA stimulated insulin secretion from wild-type cells twofold at glucose concentrations of 0.5 mM (A-def, 5.1 +/- 0.27; ATRA, 1,000 nM, 10.5 +/- 1.43 ng/10(6) cells) and at 11.0 mM (A-def, 6.9 +/- 0.24; ATRA, 1,000 nM, 13.6 +/- 1.86 ng/10(6) cells). The cellular insulin content was increased about threefold (A-def, 39.2 +/- 2.95; ATRA, 1,000 nM, 118 +/- 8.54 ng/10(6) cells). ATRA inhibited growth of wild-type cells as early as 3 days, and this effect was dose dependent. Whereas in the absence of ATRA, the cell number increased over fivefold between day 3 and day 5, ATRA, 1,000 nM, inhibited cell growth completely. ATRA, 1,000 nM, increased apoptotic RINm5F cells (day 3 A-def, 0.53 +/- 0.27% of total cells, and ATRA, 2.30 +/- 1.44; day 5 A-def, 0.38 +/- 0.23, and ATRA, 2.14 +/- 0.59; day 7 A-def, 0.90 +/- 0.29, and ATRA, 6.02 +/- 1.64). RAR beta-transfected cells showed overexpression of mRNA to RAR beta and dose-dependent inhibition of growth, with almost-complete inhibition at ATRA concentrations as low as 100 nM. Overexpression of RAR beta increased insulin secretion at ATRA, 100-1,000 nM. In summary, ATRA increased the insulin secretion and content of RINm5F cells, while inhibiting growth and increasing apoptosis. Increased expression of RAR beta facilitated these effects on growth and secretion. These findings may reflect the known effect of ATRA on differentiation of cells and mediation through RAR beta.

Topics: Apoptosis; Blotting, Northern; Cell Division; Cell Line; Deoxyuracil Nucleotides; DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase; Gene Expression; Glucose; Insulin; Insulin Secretion; Islets of Langerhans; Receptors, Retinoic Acid; Transfection; Tretinoin

In rodents, the vaginal epithelium shows cyclic changes with an alternating pattern of keratinization under estrogen control and mucification under progesterone control. Retinoids are powerful regulators of cell differentiation, an excess of retinoids suppressing the keratinizing differentiation of keratinocytes. Here, we have examined the vaginal epithelium during the estrous cycle and compare the effects of retinoids on both types of hormonally induced differentiation, i.e. keratinization and mucification. All-trans retinoic acid was administered either by daily injections during the estrous cycle or by a single injection before the estrogen rise; these two protocols gave similar results. Retinoic acid suppressed estrogen-induced vaginal keratinization and cytokeratin K10 expression (a biochemical marker of terminal differentiation). Progesterone-induced mucification was not impaired; however, retinoic acid impeded mucous cell desquamation, suggesting an effect of retinoic acid on cell adhesiveness. Retinoic acid induced the appearance of apoptotic-like cells, as revealed by immunocytochemical staining of DNA fragmentation.

Topics: Animals; Antibody Specificity; Biotin; Cell Differentiation; Cell Nucleus; Deoxyuracil Nucleotides; DNA Damage; DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase; Epithelial Cells; Epithelium; Estrus; Female; Immunohistochemistry; Injections, Subcutaneous; Keratin-10; Keratins; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Tretinoin; Vagina