Retinoic acid transmembrane signaling

In addition to its genomic functions, retinoic acid also has a number of nongenomic functions. It enhances the stabUity of keratin mRNA, leading to increased synthesis of this protein (Growe, 1993). Retinoic acid acts also as an effector in response to transmembrane signaling by retinoylation of target proteins. 

Retinoids in Transmembrane Signaling Neutrophils treated with physiological concentrations of all-tra s-retinoic acid show a dose-dependent increase in synthesis of superoxide. Inhibitor studies suggest that retinoic acid acts via an inositol trisphosphate cascade rather than calcium and protein kinase C (Koga et al., 1997). There is also evidence that all-rrans-retinoic acid leads to increased formation of cADP-ribose and nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate as second messengers (Section 8.4.4 Dousa et al., 1996 Mehta and Cheema, 1999). 

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