Medicinal Perspectives of Retinoids (Review)

Introduction. Retinoids are a group of endogenous and synthetic substances that regulate numerous important biological processes in normal development. The synthesis and study of the biological activity of new retinoids are a promising area of chemical biology. Text. The genomic functions of retinoids are mediated by their nuclear receptors RAR(α, β, γ) and RXR(α, β, γ), which regulate gene transcription by recruiting corepressors and coactivators. Retinoids also possess non-genomic functions by acylating proteins and other biomolecules. Regenerative medicine and stem cell biology are advanced areas of research in the biological activity of retinoids. Endogenous and synthetic retinoids are used for the treatment of skin pathologies and in oncology. There is evidence of their potential use in the therapy of lung diseases. The development of retinoids with high selectivity towards specific receptors and tissues may open new approaches to the treatment and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and others. Retinoids are necessary for the functioning of the immune system and are powerful immunomodulators. Additionally, retinoids have the potential for the therapy of various proliferative diseases. Conclusion. Long-term studies of the pharmacological activity of retinoic acid and its structural analogs aim to investigate and establish the precise mechanisms of their actions, as well as their involvement in the pathogenesis of various diseases. The synthesis of retinoids aims to design compounds with high selectivity towards specific receptors, which would exclude the multitarget action of natural regulatory molecules and the associated side effects. Synthetic retinoids devoid of teratogenic and other side effects can find application as therapeutic agents for the treatment of metabolic disorders, various malignancies, as well as kidney, lung, and CNS diseases. Furthermore, the development of prodrugs based on retinoids with controlled release of active molecules is also a promising direction in this field of medicinal chemistry.