Protective effects of Retinoic acid on Streptozotocin-induced Type I Diabetes

All-trans-retinoic (atRA) acid is a biologically active derivative of vitamin A that regulates numerous physiological processes through its interaction with nuclear retinoid receptor proteins, termed as retinoid acid receptors (RARs) and retinoid X receptors (RXR). Retinoid signaling is diverse and its role in embryonic development, adult growth and development, maintenance of immunity and epithelial barriers, and vision has been elucidated. An increased body of evidence suggests that altered metabolism of retinoic acid under experimental type-1 diabetes conditions induced with streptozotocin (STZ) is related to insulin deficiency. In several experimental approaches the role of atRA treatment in STZ-induced diabetes has been tested. This review summarizes current knowledge on the role of retinoids and atRA in the improvement of pathological alterations in STZ-induced experimental type-1 diabetes in kidney, retina, skin and nervous system.