Effects of retinol, retinal, retinoic acid, retinyl palmitate and retinyl acetate on HeLa cell viability.

A study has been made of the effects of retinoic acid, retinal, retinol, retinyl palmitate and retinyl acetate on HeLa cell viability. The results obtained show that (i) these cells seem to be more resistant to vitamin A than other cell cultures; (ii) the various vitamin A compounds differ in their inhibitory action on HeLa cells; (iii) the effects of retinoic acid, retinal, retinol and retinyl acetate are cytotoxic, those of retinyl palmitate are always cytolytic.