title: Expression of N-cadherin and alkaline phosphatase in chick limb bud mesenchymal cells: regulation by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 or TGF-beta 1.
abstract: When mesenchymal cells from the early chick limb bud (stage 23-24) are plated at high cell density they spontaneously undergo chondrogenesis implicating extensive cell-to-cell interactions. In the past it has been shown that TGF-beta and vitamin D can influence this process and can stimulate chondrogenesis. Given the importance of cell adhesion molecules during cellular interactions we decided to examine the effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 or TGF-beta on the expression of molecules involved in cell-to-cell adhesion (N-cadherin) or cell-substrate adhesion (alkaline phosphatase). Immunofluorescence demonstrated that N-cadherin was expressed in the mesenchymal cells and in the very early cartilage nodules but it was down-regulated in the older nodules. As shown by Western blotting, the expression of N-cadherin declined as chondrogenesis proceeded and was affected in cultures treated with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and TGF-beta 1. Alkaline phosphatase was also expressed in the mesenchymal cells; these cells preferentially use an alternative transcript compared to the cartilage cells of the sternum. Thus, our data suggest that the involvement of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in chondrogenesis could be mediated via regulation of cell adhesion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Ohio 45469-2320.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Tsonis
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Del Rio-Tsonis
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Millan
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wheelock
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015820:Cadherins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D005121:Extremities / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D002117:Calcitriol