Receptor for retinoic acid that acts as a transcription factor (, ). Forms homo- or heterodimers with retinoic acid receptors (RARs) and binds to target response elements in response to their ligands, all-trans or 9-cis retinoic acid, to regulate gene expression in various biological processes (   , ). The RAR/RXR heterodimers bind to the retinoic acid response elements (RARE) composed of tandem 5'-AGGTCA-3' sites known as DR1-DR5 to regulate transcription (  ). The high affinity ligand for retinoid X receptors (RXRs) is 9-cis retinoic acid . In the absence of ligand, the RXR-RAR heterodimers associate with a multiprotein complex containing transcription corepressors that induce histone deacetylation, chromatin condensation and transcriptional suppression . On ligand binding, the corepressors dissociate from the receptors and coactivators are recruited leading to transcriptional activation (, ). Serves as a common heterodimeric partner for a number of nuclear receptors, such as RARA, RARB and PPARA ( , ). The RXRA/RARB heterodimer can act as a transcriptional repressor or transcriptional activator, depending on the RARE DNA element context . The RXRA/PPARA heterodimer is required for PPARA transcriptional activity on fatty acid oxidation genes such as ACOX1 and the P450 system genes . Together with RARA, positively regulates microRNA-10a expression, thereby inhibiting the GATA6/VCAM1 signaling response to pulsatile shear stress in vascular endothelial cells . Acts as an enhancer of RARA binding to RARE DNA element . May facilitate the nuclear import of heterodimerization partners such as VDR and NR4A1 (, ). Promotes myelin debris phagocytosis and remyelination by macrophages . Plays a role in the attenuation of the innate immune system in response to viral infections, possibly by negatively regulating the transcription of antiviral genes such as type I IFN genes . Involved in the regulation of calcium signaling by repressing ITPR2 gene expression, thereby controlling cellular senescence .
Subcellular locations: Nucleus, Cytoplasm, Mitochondrion
Localization to the nucleus is enhanced by vitamin D3 . Nuclear localization may be enhanced by the interaction with heterodimerization partner VDR . Translocation to the mitochondrion upon interaction with NR4A1 (, ). Increased nuclear localization upon pulsatile shear stress .
Expressed in lung fibroblasts (at protein level) . Expressed in monocytes . Highly expressed in liver, also found in kidney and brain ( ).