It is well known that Na+ reabsorption in the kidney can be regulated by aldosterone. Although Cl- is the most abundant anion present in the extra cellular fluids the involvement of aldosterone in the regulation of Cl- conductance through Cl- channels at the molecular level is unknown. In this study, the effects of aldosterone and high-Na+ diet on the expression of ClC-2, a cell volume-, pH- and voltage-sensitive Cl- channel, was examined in the rat kidney. Total RNA isolated from Wistar rats fed a high-Na+ diet for 5 days, furosemide treatment, adrenalectomy and adrenalectomy with replacement of normal plasma levels of aldosterone were compared by the use of ribonuclease protection assay (RPA), and/or a semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The high-Na+ diet reduced renal mRNA and protein ClC-2 expression. The renal expression of ClC-2 mRNA decreased in adrenalectomized rats and was restored by plasma aldosterone replacement. In addition, the semi-quantitative RT-PCR in different segments of the nephron showed that these changes were secondary to the modulation of ClC-2 mRNA expression by aldosterone in the cortical and medullary segments of thick ascending limbs of Henle's loop. These results suggest that ClC-2 may be involved with aldosterone-induced Cl- transport in the kidney.

Foreign accent syndrome (FAS), a rare disorder characterized by the emergence of a new accent perceived as foreign by listeners, is usually reported with left brain damage. We here report the case of a 28-year-old native Brazilian who appeared, to the examiner, to show a North American accent during recovery from Broca’s aphasia. The lesion was due to a frontal hematoma. Without referring specifically to speech, we asked 10 independent observers to comment on a videotape of the patient’s interview. Seven reported that the patient had a foreign accent, while 3 simply noted a ‘strange’ accent. The observers did not agree on the origin of the accent, 5 identifying it as Spanish, 1 as German, and 1 as south Brazilian. These findings suggest that FAS is not due to the acquisition of a specific foreign accent, but to impairment of the suprasegmental linguistic abilities (tone, accent, pauses, rhythm, and vocal stress) that make it possible to distinguish native language.

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