Retinoids - the role in the pharmacotherapy in the aspects of their cellular mechanism of action

Retinoids are compounds which show the activity of vitamin A. Both naturally occurred (retinol, ratinaldehyde, retinoic acid) and synthetic (eg. acitretin, adapalene, tazarotene, bexarotene) compounds belong to this group. They show their activity through nuclear receptors which bind to DNA in promoter regions of genes regulated by retinoids. Some of them are ligands of the receptors while other need to be metabolized to active derivatives. Naturally occurred in the organism retinoids take part in such processes as proliferation and differentiation of cells, reproduction, maintenance of epithelial tissue, immune function and vision (retinaldehyde). Considering their mechanism of action they are used in the therapy of various disorders like acne, psoriasis or neoplasms. They can be administered orally (acitretin) or topically (alitretinoin, motretinide, adapalene, tazatorene) and some of them both routes (tretinoin, isotretinoin, bexarotene). They are also active constituents of cosmeceuticals. The usage of retinoids is limited by adverse effects caused by them to which belong teratogenicity, mucocutaneous and skeletal toxicity.