A role of N-cadherin in neuronal differentiation of embryonic carcinoma P19 cells

N-cadherin is one of the important molecules for cell to cell interaction i n the development of the central nervous system (CNS). In this report, we h ave shown that N-cadherin mRNA and protein were increased rapidly in retino ic acid (RA)-induced neuronal differentiation of embryonic carcinoma P19 ce lls. To explore possible roles for N-cadherin during this process, N-cadher in-overexpressing P19 cell lines were established. These transfected cells could differentiate into neurofilament-expressing neurons in the absence of RA. RT-PCR revealed that the expression patterns of development-related ge nes, such as Oct-3/4, nestin, Notch-1, and Mash-1 were similar between the transfected P19 cells and the RA-induced wild-type P19 cells during their n euronal differentiation. On the contrary, the Wnt-1 gene was up-regulated i n the N-cadherin-overexpressing P19 cells, but could not be detected in the wild-type P19 cells. These results suggest N-cadherin may play a role in n euronal differentiation of P19 cells, possibly through the Wnt-1 signaling pathway. (C) 2001 Academic Press.