Arrestin, which plays a role in the termination of the visual transduc
tion cascade, is one of several photoreceptor proteins whose mRNA leve
ls are increased by light, Retinoic acid, a by-product of photorecepto
r signaling and a potent modulator of hormonal transcription control,
is one candidate for regulating the arrestin mRNA levels, Here we show
that retinoic acid, injected intraperitoneally into dark-adapted mice
, increases the arrestin mRNA levels and mimics the effect of light. i
njection of 1 mu mol of retinoic acid produces a maximal increase in a
rrestin mRNA levels, The mRNA level reaches a maximum 3 h after inject
ion and slowly declines thereafter, The observations suggest that reti
noic acid may mediate the increase in arrestin mRNA produced by light.
-Wagner, E., McCaffery, P., Mey, J., Farhangfar, F., Applebury, M. L.,
Driiger, U. C. Retinoic aid increases arrestin mRNA levels in the mou
se retina.