To uncover the mechanisms relating to the anticancer effect of retinoic acids in gastric cancer cells, the mediation of activator protein-1 (AP-1) activity repression by retinoic acid receptors (RARs) was investigated. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) inhibited AP-1 activity in BGC-823 cells (RARalpha(+), RARbeta(+)), but not in MKN-45 cells (RARalpha(lo), RARbeta(-)). Transient transfection of RARbeta expression vector into MKN-45 cells significantly resulted in direct repression of AP-1 activity in a receptor concentration-dependent manner, and this could be strengthened by ATRA. Stable transfection of RARbeta into MKN-45 cells directly inhibited cell growth and colony formation, and ATRA also enhanced these effects. Transient transfection of RARalpha into MKN-45 cells however, displayed receptor concentration-dependent AP-1 activity inhibition only in the presence of ATRA. Stable transfection of RARalpha into MKN-45 cells resulted in ATRA-dependent inhibition of cell growth and colony formation. For AP-1 binding activity induced by TPA, the repressive effect of ATRA was only observed in BGC-823 and RARalpha and RARbeta stably transfected MKN-45 cells, but not in intact MKN-45 cells. This indicates the necessity for sufficient cellular RARalpha and/or RARbeta in order for AP-1 activity repression to occur. Deletion of DNA binding domain (DBD) of RARbeta, but not ligand binding domain (LBD), eliminated the anti-AP-1 function of RARbeta. It is therefore concluded that both RARalpha and RARbeta are mediators in the anticancer function of ATRA via AP-1 activity inhibition, and that RARbeta, not RARalpha, can inhibit AP-1 activity to a certain extent directly by itself. Thus DBD, not LBD, is critical for anti-AP-1 activity.