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Aknoun-Sail N, Zatra Y, Sahut-Barnola I, Benmouloud A, Kheddache A, Khaldoun M, Charallah S, Khammar F, Martinez A, Amirat Z. Sex differences in adrenal cortex beta-catenin immunolocalisation of the Saharan gerbil, Libyan jird (Meriones libycus, Lichtenstein, 1823). Folia Morphol (Warsz) 2022; 82:830-840. [PMID: 36165897 DOI: 10.5603/fm.a2022.0084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The adrenal cortex provides adequate steroidogenic responses to environmental changes. However, in desert rodents, the adrenocortical activity varies according to several factors especially sex, age, and seasonal variations. Herein, we examined the sex differences in the adrenal cortex activity and explored the involvement of sex hormones in the regulation of this function in Libyan jird Meriones libycus. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-four adult male and female animals weighing 109-110 g were captured in the breeding season and equally assigned into control and gonadectomised groups. Animal euthanasia was performed 50 days after the gonadectomy. Adrenal gland was processed for structural and immunohistochemistry study of b-catenin, whereas plasma was used for cortisol assay. RESULTS The results showed that female adrenal gland weight was heavier than male and gonadectomy reduced this dimorphism. The adrenal cortex thickness was greater in the female than in the male, mainly due to significant development of the zona fasciculata. Females presented higher cell density in fasciculata and reticularis zones. The plasma cortisol was higher in females than in males. The immunolocalisation of beta-catenin showed that the expression was particularly glomerular in both sexes. However, in the female, the immunostaining was present in the zona reticularis while it was absent in the control male. Orchiectomy reduced zona glomerulosa cell density and induced hypertrophy of zona reticularis characterised by strong beta-catenin immunoreactivity. CONCLUSIONS Results indicated that sex hormones had a major role in the regulation of the Saharan gerbil's adrenal homeostasis by modulating beta-catenin signalling. Androgens seem to inhibit the Wnt-beta-catenin pathway and oestrogens are activators of the adrenal inner zones.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Aknoun-Sail
- Arid Zones Research Laboratory (LRZA), Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB), Algiers, Algeria.
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Algiers I Benyoucef Benkhedda, Algiers, Algeria.
| | - Y Zatra
- Nature and Life Sciences Faculty, Saad Dahlab University of Blida (USDB 1), Blida, Algeria
- Arid Zones Research Laboratory (LRZA), Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB), Algiers, Algeria
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Algiers I Benyoucef Benkhedda, Algiers, Algeria
| | - I Sahut-Barnola
- Génétique, Reproduction et Développement (GReD), Centre National de La Recherche Scientifique CNRS, Institut National de La Santé and de La Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Université Clermont-Auvergne (UCA), France
| | - A Benmouloud
- Arid Zones Research Laboratory (LRZA), Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB), Algiers, Algeria
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Algiers I Benyoucef Benkhedda, Algiers, Algeria
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, M'Hamed Bougara University of Boumerdes (UMBB), Algeria
| | - A Kheddache
- Arid Zones Research Laboratory (LRZA), Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB), Algiers, Algeria
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Algiers I Benyoucef Benkhedda, Algiers, Algeria
- Department of Biological and Agricultural, University Mouloud Mammeri Tizi Ouzou (UMMTO), Tizi Ouzou, Algeria
| | - M Khaldoun
- Arid Zones Research Laboratory (LRZA), Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB), Algiers, Algeria
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Algiers I Benyoucef Benkhedda, Algiers, Algeria
| | - S Charallah
- Arid Zones Research Laboratory (LRZA), Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB), Algiers, Algeria
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Algiers I Benyoucef Benkhedda, Algiers, Algeria
| | - F Khammar
- Arid Zones Research Laboratory (LRZA), Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB), Algiers, Algeria
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Algiers I Benyoucef Benkhedda, Algiers, Algeria
| | - A Martinez
- Génétique, Reproduction et Développement (GReD), Centre National de La Recherche Scientifique CNRS, Institut National de La Santé and de La Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Université Clermont-Auvergne (UCA), France
| | - Z Amirat
- Arid Zones Research Laboratory (LRZA), Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB), Algiers, Algeria
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