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Anti-cancer Potential of All-trans Retinoic Acid (ATRA): A Review

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Abstract

The retinoids, a class of compounds related to vitamin A exert their effects via the retinoic acid (RA) receptors (RARs) and rexinoid receptors and play important roles in a number of physiological processes including vision, tissue maintenance, differentiation and embryonic development. RA, including all-trans RA (ATRA) and its stereoisomer 9-cis RA, have gained importance as chemotherapeutic agents and inhibit development of a number of tumours. ATRA is used, along with chemotherapeutic agents to treat acute promyelocytic leukemia by promoting myeloid differentiation (without destroying the leukemic cells) via modulation of PML-RARα and other transcription factors. The effect of ATRA on solid tumours and the molecular mechanisms by which they exert their effects have not been elucidated in as much detail. Several studies indicate that ATRA promotes apoptosis and downregulates cellular proteases including matrix metalloproteinases and components of the intracellular signalling cascades at various levels. Thus ATRA appears to have good potential as an anti-tumorigenic drug in several carcinomas including breast cancers and melanomas.

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Acknowledgments

We are thankful to University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi [F. No. 38-236/2009 (SR)] for financial assistance and to the Principal, St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Kolkata for providing facilities and encouragement.

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  1. Post Graduate Department of Biotechnology, St Xavier’s College (Autonomous), 30 Park Street, Kolkata, 700016, West Bengal, India

    Suparna Das, Indira Guha & Aniruddha Banerji

  2. Department of Receptor Biology and Tumor Metastasis, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, 37 S. P. Mukherjee Road, Kolkata, 700026, West Bengal, India

    Amitava Chatterjee

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  1. Suparna Das
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Correspondence to Aniruddha Banerji.

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Das, S., Guha, I., Chatterjee, A. et al. Anti-cancer Potential of All-trans Retinoic Acid (ATRA): A Review. Proc Zool Soc 66, 1–7 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12595-012-0053-0

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