To define the mechanism of vitamin A action at the beta-cell level, we tested for the presence of messenger RNA for retinoic acid receptors alpha, beta, and gamma; cytosolic retinol-binding protein; and cytosolic retinoic acid-binding protein in RINm5F cells, an insulin-secreting cell line, and determined whether cytosolic retinol-binding protein and cytosolic retinoic acid-binding protein are present in isolated purified normal rat beta-cells. Northern blot analyses showed two transcripts of retinoic acid receptor alpha messenger RNA (3.8 and 2.4 kb), one transcript of retinoic acid receptor messenger RNA (3.8 kb), and one transcript of cytosolic retinol-binding protein (0.9 kb) in RINm5F cells. Ribonuclease protection assays also showed the presence of cytosolic retinol-binding protein and cytosolic retinoic acid-binding protein in RINm5F cells. Quantitatively, cytosolic retinol-binding protein levels were 0.10 +/- 0.02 pg/micrograms total RNA. Using specific radioimmunoassays, normal isolated purified rat beta-cells contained CRBP (19.2 +/- 2.38) and cytosolic retinoic acid-binding protein (16 +/- 0.53 ng/10(6) cells). The presence of message for retinoic acid receptors alpha and gamma, cytosolic retinol-binding protein, cytosolic retinoic acid-binding protein, and the gene products of cytosolic retinol-binding protein and cytosolic retinoic acid-binding protein in insulin-secreting cells support a mechanism of vitamin A action and role for cytosolic and nuclear receptors at the beta-cell level similar to that suggested in nonendocrine cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)