Breast cancer cell growth can be inhibited in vivo by retinoid X receptor (RXR) specific retinoids. In both animal and cell culture studies, omega-3 fatty acids share growth regulatory effects similar to those of RXR specific retinoids (rexinoids). One synthetic rexinoid, bexarotene (LCD 1069, Targretin), is used clinically to treat cancer patients. Of concern is that some patients are unable t...

PURPOSE Bexarotene is the first synthetic rexinoid approved for the treatment of all stages of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) however the mechanism of bexarotene action is unknown. We examined the effects of bexarotene on induction of apoptosis and expression of its cognate receptors in well-established CTCL cell lines (MJ, Hut78, and HH). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN CTCL cells were treated with 0....

Bexarotene, a selective agonist for Retinoid X receptors (RXR) improves cognitive deficits and amyloid-β (Aβ) clearance in mice. Here we examine if the effect of bexarotene on RXR cistrome and transcriptomes depend on APOE isoform and Aβ deposition. We found bexarotene increased RXR binding to promoter regions in cortex of APOE3 mice. Rho family GTPases and Wnt signaling pathway were highly enr...

Stroke is a highly debilitating, often fatal disorder for which current therapies are suitable for only a minor fraction of patients. Discovery of novel, effective therapies is hampered by the fact that advanced age, primary age-related tauopathy or comorbidities typical to several types of dementing diseases are usually not taken into account in preclinical studies, which predominantly use you...

The oral rexinoid bexarotene (Targretin) is widely used for treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL). We recently reported the first case of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) that responded rapidly to combination therapy of bexarotene and interferon (IFN)2b with complete clinical response. We demonstrated that bexarotene induced apoptosis of the patient’s malignant peripheral blood T-...

PURPOSE Paclitaxel is an important anticancer agent for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, its use in cancer therapy is limited by development of acquired drug resistance. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of bexarotene on development of acquired paclitaxel resistance in NSCLC. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Human NSCLC Calu3 cells were repeatedly treated in c...

ApoE4 is the most important genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) (1), and we therefore read with great interest the paper by Cramer et al. (2) demonstrating spectacular results of bexarotene on b-amyloid (Ab) accumulation in the brain of mouse models for AD. Bexarotene is a retinoid X receptor (RXR) agonist and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of...

The retinoid X receptor (RXR) partners with numerous nuclear receptors, such as the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) family, liver X receptors (LXRs), and farnesoid X receptor (FXR). Although each heterodimer can be activated by specific ligands, a subset of these receptors, defined as permissive nuclear receptors, can also be activated by RXR agonists known as rexinoids. Many ...

PURPOSE Bexarotene is a retinoic X receptor agonist that has been shown in vitro to inhibit growth and induce differentiation of myeloid leukemic cell lines. We therefore conducted a phase I dose escalation study to assess the maximum tolerated dose, toxicities, and activity of bexarotene in patients with non-M3 acute myeloid leukemia (AML). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We enrolled patients with activ...

Synthetic rexinoids effectively suppress both estrogen receptor-positive and estrogen receptor-negative mammary tumors in animal models, which makes them prime candidates for a novel class of cancer-preventive agents. When used in combination with chemotherapy for non-small-cell lung cancer, the rexinoid bexarotene was most effective for patients who developed hypertriglyceridemia as a side eff...