Retinoic Acid: A Potential Risk Factor for Congenital Heart Disease

Abstract

Retinoic acid (RA), a derivative of vitamin A, plays an essential role in
human beings during growth and development. Intake of vitamin A in body is by either
animal/plant diet or use of medication to treat skin problems and cancer. Adequate
intake of retinoic acid is critical as high and low quantities of retinoid lead to
developmental defect by acting through retinoid receptors present in human body,
which actively modulate many signaling pathways and control embryonic development
and differentiation. Excess intake of RA cause congenital heart diseases (CHD) by up
and down regulation of genes associated with CHD. Therefore, intake of retinoic acid
or other analogous drugs especially during pregnancy enhances the risk of developing
CHD. Physician and pharmacist should provide proper counseling to female patients
about the benefits and risks of drugs prescribed during pregnancy. Furthermore,
advancement in therapies likes surgery, angioplasty and tissue engineering used for the
treatment of CHD. This review discusses an association between retinoic acid and
CHD, its prevention and treatment options available.