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. 2022 Jul 19;11(8):e220121.
doi: 10.1530/EC-22-0121. Print 2022 Aug 1.

Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the adrenal glands of rats in various types of experimental hypertension

Irena Kasacka  1 , Żaneta Piotrowska  1 , Natalia Domian  1 , Alicja Lewandowska  1
Affiliations

Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the adrenal glands of rats in various types of experimental hypertension

Irena Kasacka et al. Endocr Connect. .

Abstract

Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays a key role in maintaining homeostasis, which is disturbed in hypertension. Taking into account the lack of literature describing changes in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in the adrenal glands under conditions of elevated arterial pressure, here we compare the expression of WNT4, WNT10A, β-catenin, and GSK-3β in the adrenal glands of hypertensive rats of various etiologies. The studies were carried out on the adrenal glands of rats with spontaneous hypertension (SHR), renalvascular (2K1C), and deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt. Immunohistochemical and PCR methods were used to identify the molecular components of the canonical signaling pathway and to evaluate gene expression. Immunoreactivity and expression of WNT4, WNT10A, β-catenin, and GSK-3β in adrenals of SHR was decreased, compared to control rats. In adrenals of 2K1C rats, intensity of immunohistochemical reaction and expression of WNT4 and β-catenin was lower, while immunoreactivity and expression of WNT10A and GSK-3β were higher, compared to normotensive animals. Significantly stronger immunoreaction and expression of WNT4, β-catenin and GSK-3β but weaker immunoreactivity and expression of WNT10A were noted in adrenals in DOCA-salt rats, compared to control rats. In conclusion, our data provide new molecular information indicating that the canonical WNT pathway is disrupted in the adrenal glands of hypertensive rats. They show that the dysregulation of the WNT pathway depends on the etiology of hypertension.

Keywords: Wnt; adrenal glands; experimental model; hypertension; β-catenin.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Immunodetection of WNT4 in adrenal glands of normotensive (A, B, C, D, E, and F) and hypertensive (G, H, I, J, K, and L) rats. Adrenal cortex and medulla of WKY (A and D), sham (B and E), UNX (C and F); adrenal cortex and medulla of SHR (G and J); 2K1C (H and K), DOCA-salt (I and L).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Immunolabeling of WNT10A in adrenals of normotensive (A, B, C, D, E, and F) and hypertensive (G, H, I, J, K, and L) rats. Adrenal cortex and medulla of WKY (A and D), sham-operated (B and E), UNX (C and F); Adrenal cortex and medulla of SHR (G and J); 2K1C (H and K), DOCA-salt (I and L).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Immunodetection of β-catenin in adrenals of normotensive (A, B, C, D, E, and F) and hypertensive (G, H, I, J, K, and L) rats. Adrenal cortex and medulla of WKY (A and D), sham (B and E), UNX (C and F); Adrenal cortex and medulla of SHR (G and J); 2K1C (H and K), DOCA-salt (I and L).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Immunodetection of GSK-3β in adrenals of normotensive (A, B, C, D, E, and F) and hypertensive (G, H, I, J, K, and L) rats. Adrenal cortex and medulla of WKY (A and D), sham (B and E), UNX (C and F); Adrenal cortex and medulla of SHR (G and J); 2K1C (H and K), DOCA-salt (I and L).
Figure 5
Figure 5
The expression of genes coding WNT4, WNT10A, β-CATENIN, GSK-3β in adrenal glands of hypertensive and normotensive rats (mean ± s.e.).
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