Cardiac specific gene deletion of RARα induces diastolic dysfunction with preserved LVEF.
Loss of RARα signaling promotes cardiac oxidative stress and calcium mishandling.
Oxidative stress plays a key role in SERCA2a inactivation and calcium mishandling in RARαKO mice.
Cardiac expression of RARα is downregulated in mice with metabolic stress or aging.
RARα deletion accelerates metabolic stress-induced diastolic dysfunction.