RARE Luciferase Reporter Lentivirus (Retinoic Acid Receptor Signaling)

RARE Luciferase Reporter Lentivirus are replication incompetent, HIV-based, VSV-G pseudotyped lentiviral particles that are ready to transduce most mammalian cells, including primary and non-dividing cells. These viruses contain a firefly luciferase reporter driven by multiple copies of retinoid acid response elements (RARE) located upstream of the minimal TATA promoter. After transduction, activation of the retinoic acid receptor signaling in the target cells can be monitored by measuring luciferase activity. The lentiviruses also contain a G418 (Geneticin) selection marker (Figure 1). To study signaling mediated by specific RARs (RARalpha, RARbeta, and RARgamma), the RAR of interest may also need to be introduced in the target cells, depending on the host cells. Figure 1. Schematic of the lenti-vector used to generate the RARE Luciferase Reporter Lentivirus. RAR (Retinoic Acid Receptor) belongs to a family of nuclear receptors and has three subtypes: RARalpha, RARbeta, and RARgamma. RAR heterodimerizes with RXR (Retinoid X Receptor) and acts as a transcription factor that regulates the growth and differentiation of both normal and malignant cells. When RAR binds to its ligands, all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) or 9-cis retinoic acid, the RAR/RXR heterodimer binds to the retinoic acid response elements in the promoter region of target genes. This recruits coactivator proteins, leading to transcription and expression of the downstream target genes. Retinoic acid (RA, a derivative of Vitamin A) plays critical roles in embryonic and immune system development. Mutations in RARalpha can lead to Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL), characterized by the accumulation of progenitor cells from the blood lineage (promyelocytes), and other cancer types. Use of RA may prove beneficial in cancer therapy.