Cadherins promote skeletal muscle differentiation in three-dimensional cultures

The cell-cell adhesion molecule N-cadherin, with its associated catenins, is expressed by differentiating skeletal muscle and its precursors. Although N-cadherin's role in later events of skeletal myogenesis such as adhesion during myoblast fusion is well established, less is known about its role in earlier events such as commitment and differentiation. Using an in vitro model system, we have determined that N-cadherin- mediated adhesion enhances skeletal muscle differentiation in three-dimensional cell aggregates. We transfected the cadherin-negative BHK fibroblastlike cell line with N-cadherin. Expression of exogenous N-cadherin upregulated endogenous beta-catenin and induced strong cell-cell adhesion. When BHK cells were cultured as three-dimensional aggregates, N-cadherin enhanced withdrawal from the cell cycle and stimulated differentiation into skeletal muscle as measured by increased expression of sarcomeric myosin and the 12/101 antigen. In contrast, N-cadherin did not stimulate differentiation of BHK cells in monolayer cultures. The effect of N-cadherin was not unique since E-cadherin also increased the level of sarcomeric myosin in BHK aggregates. However, a nonfunctional mutant N-cadherin that increased the level of beta-catenin failed to promote skeletal muscle differentiation suggesting an adhesion-competent cadherin is required. Our results suggest that cadherin-mediated cell-cell interactions during embryogenesis can dramatically influence skeletal myogenesis.

Effects of the angiotensin II antagonist losartan in hypertensive patients with renal disease

OBJECTIVE

To study the effects of the angiotensin II antagonist losartan in hypertensive patients with renal disease.

DESIGN

A single-blind longitudinal study was performed, lasting 4 months. Patients were treated once a day with placebo, 50 mg losartan, 100 mg losartan and placebo, each for 1 month, in sequence. Measurements were taken at the end of each treatment period.

PATIENTS

The study subjects comprised 13 patients with biopsy-proven renal disease, a diastolic blood pressure of > 90 mmHg, creatinine clearance of > 60 ml/min and stable proteinuria of > 2.0 g/day.

RESULTS

Mean arterial pressure, measured 4 h after the dose, fell from 113.8 +/- 2.1 mmHg (placebo) to 99.2 +/- 2.4 mmHg (50-mg dose) and 96.5 +/- 2.4 mmHg (100-mg dose). This blood pressure lowering effect was sustained for 24 h 116.3 +/- 2.3 mmHg (placebo) versus 105.5 +/- 1.8 mmHg (50-mg dose) and 103.3 +/- 1.9 mmHg (100-mg dose)]. The glomerular filtration rate remained stable, while the effective renal plasma flow increased by 12.5 +/- 2.9% (100-mg dose). The systemic and renal hemodynamic effects were similar at the 50- and 100-mg doses. Urinary excretion of total protein, albumin and immunoglobulin G decreased dose-dependently by a maximum of +/- 50% (100-mg dose). With the high dose, serum uric acid fell from 0.43 +/- 0.02 mmol/l to 0.39 +/- 0.02 mmol/l, and potassium increased from 4.2 +/- 0.1 to 4.6 +/- 0.1 mmol/l.

CONCLUSIONS

The angiotensin II antagonist losartan lowers blood pressure and displays a favorable renal profile in hypertensive patients with renal disease.