Rat Retinoic Acid Receptor Alpha (RARa) Protein

Background

Retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARA) is a nuclear receptor that mediates the biological effects of retinoic acid, an active metabolite of vitamin A, by regulating gene expression RARA forms a heterodimer with retinoid X receptor (RXR) and binds to retinoic acid response elements (RAREs) in the promoter regions of target genes, controlling processes such as cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis It plays a pivotal role in embryonic development, immune function, and skin health, and its activity is crucial for maintaining cellular homeostasis During development, RARA influences the differentiation of neural, hematopoietic, and epithelial cells, while in adults, it regulates processes like cell renewal and immune responses Dysregulation of RARA expression or function is linked to several diseases, including cancer, where mutations or overexpression of RARA can lead to the inappropriate activation of genes involved in tumor growth and metastasis It is also implicated in disorders such as acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), where fusion of RARA with other genes causes abnormal gene expression that promotes leukemia cell proliferation