Kremer Jean Lucas, Sanchez Ortega Henrique, Souza-Siqueira Talita, Blanes Angeli Claudia, Kei Iwai Leo, Palmisano Giuseppe, Ferini Pacicco Lotfi Claudimara
Laboratory of Cellular Structure and Function, Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Department of Clinical Medicine, Laboratory of Cellular, Genetic and Molecular Nephrology, University of São Paulo, School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.
Matrix Biol Plus. 2024 Jul 26;23:100158. doi: 10.1016/j.mbplus.2024.100158. eCollection 2024 Aug.
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 analyzes the ECM of the adult human adrenal cortex, which was 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, nine only in IF, and 81 were identified in common with both fractions. Additionally, 106 ECM proteins were reported in the 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.
细胞外基质（ECM）由构成复杂三维网络的大分子组成。ECM填充细胞间空间，在组织的结构和功能中发挥关键作用，调节诸如黏附、分化和细胞信号传导等重要细胞过程。在由被包膜包围的皮质和髓质组成的人类肾上腺中，尽管其对肾上腺皮质增殖和类固醇生成过程的影响已得到认可，但ECM尚未得到直接描述。本研究通过比较蛋白质组学图谱，分析了成人人类肾上腺皮质的ECM，该皮质被分为外层部分（OF）和内层部分（IF）。该研究讨论了肾上腺皮质基质体中差异表达的ECM特征的组成、空间分布及其与肾上腺结构和功能的相关性。研究结果通过数据库分析（交叉验证）、组织化学和免疫组织化学方法得到验证。共鉴定出121种ECM蛋白，并将其分为糖蛋白、胶原蛋白、ECM调节剂、蛋白聚糖、ECM附属蛋白和分泌因子。仅在OF中鉴定出31种ECM蛋白，仅在IF中鉴定出9种，在两个部分中共同鉴定出81种。此外，在人类基质体数据库2.0中报告了106种ECM蛋白，并鉴定了在OF和IF中差异表达的蛋白。本研究为人类肾上腺皮质中ECM的组成和调节提供了重要见解，揭示了肾上腺微环境及其在肾上腺功能、维持和更新中的作用。
