title: Transcriptome profiling reveals differentially expressed transcripts between the human adrenal zona fasciculata and zona reticularis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The human adrenal zona fasciculata (ZF) and zona reticularis (ZR) are responsible for the production of cortisol and 19-carbon steroids (often called adrenal androgens), respectively. However, the gene profiles and exact molecular mechanisms leading to the functional phenotype of the ZF and ZR are still not clearly defined. In the present study, we identified the transcripts that are differentially expressed in the ZF and ZR.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to compare the transcriptome profiles of ZF and ZR.
  
  
  METHODS
  ZF and ZR were microdissected from 10 human adrenals. Total RNA was extracted from 10 ZF/ZR pairs and hybridized to Illumina microarray chips. The 10 most differentially expressed transcripts were studied with quantitative RT-PCR (qPCR). Immunohistochemistry was also performed on four zone-specific genes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Microarray results demonstrated that only 347 transcripts of the 47 231 were significantly different by 2-fold or greater in the ZF and ZR. ZF had 195 transcripts with 2-fold or greater increase compared with its paired ZR, whereas ZR was found to have 152 transcripts with 2-fold or greater higher expression than in ZF. Microarray and qPCR analysis of transcripts encoding steroidogenic enzymes (n = 10) demonstrated that only 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, steroid sulfotransferase, type 5 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, and cytochrome b5 were significantly different. Immunohistochemistry and qPCR studies confirmed that the ZF had an increased expression of lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1 and nephroblastoma overexpressed, whereas ZR showed an increased expression of solute carrier family 27 (fatty acid transporter) (SLC27A2), member 2 and TSPAN12 (tetraspanin 12) CONCLUSION: Microarray revealed several novel candidate genes for elucidating the molecular mechanisms governing the ZF and ZR, thereby increasing our understanding of the functional zonation of these two adrenocortical zones.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Molecular and Integrative Physiology and Internal Medicine (J.R., W.E.R.), University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109; Departments of Physiology (J.R., T.W., W.E.R.) and Surgery (T.D.M.), Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia 30912; and Department of Pathology (Y.N., H.S.), Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8579, Japan.
authors.forename: Juilee
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rege
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Todd D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Merchen
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sasano
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Rainey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003066:Coenzyme A Ligases / Q000235:genetics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways / Q000235:genetics; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D059470:Tetraspanins / Q000235:genetics; D015383:Zona Fasciculata / Q000378:metabolism*; D015385:Zona Reticularis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000098859:Long-Chain-Fatty-Acid-CoA Ligase
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; C545100:TSPAN12 protein, human; D059470:Tetraspanins; D003066:Coenzyme A Ligases; D000098859:Long-Chain-Fatty-Acid-CoA Ligase