ABSTRACT
Compounds capable of binding to retinoid X receptors are known as rexinoids and include 9-cis retinoic acid and bexarotene. Bexarotene is also implicated in the downregulation of survivin, an inhibitor of apoptotic proteins. Oral bexarotene is used as mono or adjuvant therapy in the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and CD-30 positive lymphoproliferative diseases with multifocal lesions. The most common side effects of oral bexarotene are hypertriglyceridemia and hypothyroidism. Bexarotene has neuroprotective functions that have been used in the treatment of cerebral vascular accident and memory impairment disease processes. Bexarotene's apoptotic action has made it effective as an adjuvant therapy in treating non-small cell lung carcinoma and advanced breast carcinoma. Topical bexarotene is also useful for chronic-severe hand dermatitis. In patients with mild to moderate plaque psoriasis, bexarotene may reduce the hyperproliferation of keratinocytes that are key in forming the thickened epidermis of psoriatic plaques.
