Elastin expression is up-regulated by retinoic acid but not by retinol in chick embryonic skin fibroblasts.

Effects of retinoid derivatives (retinol and retinoic acid) on elastin expression and cell proliferation in chick embryonic skin fibroblasts were studied. Retinoic acid inhibited cell proliferation one half of control at the concentration 10(-5) M. Retinoic acid exhibited stimulatory effect on elastin synthesis with a maximum stimulation of 2.0-fold at the concentration of 10(-6) M for 24 h treatment. Elastin level detected by Western blot analysis in the pooled conditioned medium was compatible with the increase of elastin synthesis by retinoic acid treatment. Comparable increase in elastin mRNA level was observed by retinoic acid treatment. Retinol showed no significant effects on either cell proliferation or elastin expression. The results indicate that retinoic acid was potentially active and retinol was inactive for modulation of cell proliferation and elastin expression.