# Proteomic Analysis of the Extracellular Matrix in the Porcine Adrenal Cortex

## TL;DR

This study identifies ECM proteins in the porcine adrenal cortex, revealing differences between outer and inner layers that could help use pigs as biomedical models.

## Contribution

The study provides a detailed proteomic profile of the porcine adrenal cortex ECM, highlighting species-specific differences relevant to biomedical research.

## Key findings

- Porcine adrenal cortex ECM contains 940 proteins, including collagens, glycoproteins, and proteoglycans.
- Lamc1, Perlecan, and Tgm2 are more abundant in the outer fraction, while Col1α1 and others are more abundant in the inner fraction.
- Porcine ECM proteins are more abundant in the inner fraction compared to rats and humans, where they are more abundant in the outer fraction.

## Abstract

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a complex network of
proteins
that provides structural support and influences tissue boundaries,
biomechanical properties, and cell polarity. This study analyzed the
ECM profile of the porcine adrenal cortex’s outer (OF = capsule
+ subcapsular + zona glomerulosa cells) and inner fractions (IF =
zona fasciculata cells). Proteomic analysis of decellularized OF and
IF samples identified 940 proteins, 27 collagens, 44 ECM glycoproteins,
9 proteoglycans, 20 ECM regulators, 5 ECM-associated proteins, 6 secreted
factors, and 39 ECM candidates to compose the specific porcine adrenal
matrisome. Among the ECM proteins identified, 113 are common to the
OF and IF, while 16 were identified only in the OF and 21 in the IF.
The analysis of protein abundance differences showed three proteins
(Lamc1, Perlecan, and Tgm2) significantly abundant in OF compared
to IF. In IF, 11 proteins (Col1α1, Col1α2, Col6α1,
Col6α2, Col6α3, Col6α6, Col14α1, Ecm1, Fga,
Fgb, and Fgg) were more abundant than OF. The comparative analysis
of the quantification ECM proteins from the decellularized adrenal
cortex of rats, humans, and pigs showed that in porcine samples, the
ECM-quantified proteins are more abundant in the IF, while in rats
and human samples, the more abundant ECM-quantified proteins are in
the OF. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential
of using pigs as a biomedical model and an essential tool for translational
medical research.