The Use of a Retinoid Receptor Antagonist in a New Model to Study Vitamin A-Dependent Developmental Events

The study explored the role of retinoic acid in development using a retinoic acid receptor antagonist, AGN 193109, to disrupt RAR-dependent functions at specific stages. In vitro, AGN 193109 reversed the effects of an RAR agonist. In vivo, a 1 mg/kg dose on day 8 post coitum in pregnant mice caused severe craniofacial and eye anomalies in fetuses, while no limb anomalies were observed when administered on day 11, despite high doses. Late gestation exposure delayed skin and hair follicle development. This model was deemed effective for studying retinoic acid's functions in embryogenesis and adult animals.