Overview

RXRα is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily that mediates signaling by 9-cis retinoic acid, a vitamin A (retinol) derivative. Along with other members of the RXR family, RXRα plays roles in a variety of processes including embryonic patterning and organogenesis, cell proliferation and differentiation. RXRs commonly function as heterodimers with other members of the nuclear receptor superfamily.

Expression

RXR-α is expressed in mulitple organs in many major physiological systems (central nervous system (CNS), endocrine, metabolic, gastrointestinal, reproductive and cardiopulmonary), with particularly high levels in the liver, preputial gland, skeletal muscle and skin.

View full NURSA RXR-α expression dataset

Diseases

RXR-α variants have been associated with psychiatric (schizophrenia, autism, alcoholism, bipolar disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)) and immune (psoriasis) disorders.

Phenotypes

Targeted disruption (knockout) of RXR-α results in defects in the immune system, hearing, homeostasis and metabolism, the liver/biliary system, vision, behavior and the central nervous system (CNS), the digestive system, the respiratory system, the renal/urinary system, the musculoskeletal system, the cardiovascular system, and also results in prenatal and perinatal lethality. See other isoforms for phenotypes of compound mutants.

View RXR-α Diseases and Phenotypes section