Properties Of Retinoids Research Articles

Retinoids for treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Retinoids are Vitamin A derivatives involved in cellular regulatory processes including cell differentiation, neurite outgrowth and defense against oxidative stress. Retinoids may also influence Amyloid beta processing upregulation of alpha secretase via ADAM10. Vitamin A and other retinoids also directly inhibit formation of Amyloid fibrils in vivo. These properties of retinoids are relevant to theories of Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis. Retinoids are already used in treatment of acne vulgaris, psoriasis, neuroblastoma and acute promyelocytic leukemia. Clinical studies involving in cognitively impaired older adults with Alzheimer's disease are beginning with a variety of retinoids. These studies need to address safety issues of retinoids in older populations, and hold hope for demonstrating efficacy in translating these basic mechanisms to treatment of a widespread dementing illness.

Properties of retinoids. Structure, handling, and preparation.

Retinolds have been defined as a class of compounds consisting of four isoprenoid units (H2C=C(CH3)-CH=CH2) joined in a head-to-tail manner. The retinoid molecule can be divided into three parts: a trimethylated cyclohexene ring, a conjugated tetraene side chain, and a polar carbon-oxygen functional group. Retinol (I), retinaldehyde (II), and retinoic acid (III), as well as their derivatives whose structures are shown in Structure 1 (), are included by this definition. Open image in new window Structure 1 Open image in new window Structure 2