Project description:The aim was to investigate LPS-induced chages in cell metabolic pathways in the adrenal cortex. Bulk RNASeq was performed in microdissected adrenal cortices, followed by gene expression profiling analysis.
Project description:We studied the effect of diet-induced obesity on the transcriptional profile of the adrenal cortex. We also studied the effect of icosapent ethyl on the transcriptome of the adrenal cortex of obese mice.
Project description:Comparison between human adrenal cortex derived from adolescent female and human adrenal cortex derived from adolescent female affected by Primary Pigmented Nodular Adrenocortical Disease caused by germline mutation in PRKAR1a Keywords: other
Project description:The extracellular matrix (ECM) comprises macromolecules that shape a complex three-dimensional network. Filling the intercellular space and playing a crucial role in the structure and function of tissues, ECM regulates essential cellular processes such as adhesion, differentiation, and cell signaling. In the human adrenal gland, composed of cortex and medulla surrounded by a capsule, the ECM has not yet been directly described, although its impact on the processes of proliferation and steroidogenesis of the adrenal cortex is recognized. This study proposes a comprehensive analysis aims to comprehensively analyze the ECM of the adult human adrenal cortex, which is separated into outer fraction (OF) and inner fraction (IF), by comparing their proteomic profiles. The study discusses the composition, spatial distribution, and relevance of differentially expressed ECM signatures of the adrenal cortex matrisome on adrenal structure and function. The findings were validated through database analysis (cross-validation), histochemical, and immunohistochemical approaches. A total of 121 ECM proteins were identified and categorized into glycoproteins, collagens, ECM regulators, proteoglycans, ECM-affiliated proteins, and secreted factors. Thirty-one ECM proteins were identified only in OF, 9 only in IF, and 81 were identified in common with both fractions. Additionally, 106 ECM proteins were cross-validated using Human matrisome DB 2.0 and the proteins differentially expressed in OF and IF, were identified. This study provides significant insights into the composition and regulation of the ECM in the human adrenal cortex, shedding light on the adrenal microenvironment and its role in the functioning, maintenance, and renewal of the adrenal gland.
Project description:Comparison between human adrenal cortex derived from adolescent female and human adrenal cortex derived from adolescent female affected by Primary Pigmented Nodular Adrenocortical Disease caused by germline mutation in PRKAR1a Keywords: other
Project description:Although of the utmost importance for our survival, the activation of the adrenal gland is often impaired during sepsis. Little is known about the mechanisms involved in this process. In the present study, we have used a robust RNA Sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology in a search for novel transcriptomic signatures in adrenal glands triggered by bacterial lipopolysaccharide-induced systemic inflammation. Our results demonstrate that LPS injection to mice induce a robust change in the adrenal transcriptome, significantly altering the expression of 8458 genes as compared to saline injected animals. The principal component analysis shows a clear separation between LPS and saline treatments, as well as show low variance between biological samples from each group. The functional analysis of 4312 upregulated and 4146 downregulated genes by LPS, demonstrate a strong induction of genes involved in inflammatory and steroidogenic responses, and inhibition of genes involved in DNA repair and stem/progenitor cell pathways. Gene enrichment set analysis (GSEA) further validated the functional data, and indicated a strong grouping of genes involved in LPS-mediated induction of interferon and innate immune responses, along with previously unexplored activation of the hypoxia and inhibition of Wnt/Shh pathways in the adrenal gland. These results were further validated by quantitative PCR analysis. Collectively, this is the first study demonstrating a global alteration of adrenal gene signatures during systemic inflammation, indicating the potential pathways that are involved in the adrenal gland dysregulation during sepsis.
Project description:Different sites and changes in the tissue microenvironment have been associated with the cortex of adrenal gland functionality, maintenance, and renewal. Here we describe the differences between the extracellular matrix (ECM) signatures of the outer (OF) and inner fractions (IF) of the rat adrenal cortex. We compared the proteomic profiles of decellularized OF and IF rat adrenal samples followed by the analysis of the proteomic profiles of male and female samples. Our analysis of OF and IF samples simultaneously showed a total of 186 proteins, 69 proteins were identified in OF and 144 in IF. Ninety-two proteins were in common to both fractions, 5 proteins were exclusive to OF, and 89 proteins were exclusive to IF. A total of 42 proteins were assigned as ECM, 13 as structural ECM constituents, 17 as ECM components, and 12 as related to functional processes in ECM. Col14a1, Fbn2, and Ltbp4 were exclusive to and upregulated in the OF while Gpt2, Chga, Chgb, and Plg were exclusive to and upregulated in the IF. In addition, Nid2 and Lama2, both ECM components, were identified as upregulated in female OF and male IF adrenal, respectively. Next, we validated the main findings by using qPCR, histochemistry, and immunohistochemistry approaches.
Project description:Altogether, this is the first study presenting the global changes of the transcriptome in the adrenal microvascular cells. The results of RNA sequencing and subsequent bioinformatics analysis revealed that adrenal vascular endothelial cells are active players not only involved in maintenance of the adrenal gland microenvironment, but also they play a key role in pathogen recognition and initiation of inflammation. However, our results also strongly suggest that systemic administration of LPS, which recapitulates to some degree situation in people with meningococcal sepsis, may develop certain damage, including vascular inflammation, hypoxia, blood coagulation and leakage. That may contribute to the adrenal dysfunction.