Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2026, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (31): 8181-8189.doi: 10.12307/2026.438

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Single-cell transcriptomic analysis of somatostatin receptor-mediated regulation of adrenal corticosteroid synthesis

Deng Siyu1, 2, Chen Zhongyuan3, Jiang Jinghang4, Guo Yi2, Zheng Jie2, Wang Honghong2, Wang Yifu1, Mo Zengnan1, Jiang Yonghua1, 2   

  1. 1Institute of Life Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China; 2Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China; 3Chongming Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai 202150, China; 4Jingmen People's Hospital Affiliated to Jingchu University of Technology, Jingmen 448000, Hubei Province, China
  • Received:2025-09-17 Accepted:2026-01-24 Online:2026-11-08 Published:2026-05-25
  • Contact: Jiang Yonghua, PhD, Professor, Institute of Life Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China; Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
  • About author:Deng Siyu, MS candidate, Institute of Life Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China; Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China Chen Zhongyuan, MS, Junior laboratory technician, Chongming Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai 202150, China Deng Siyu and Chen Zhongyuan contributed equally to this article.
  • Supported by:
    Guangxi Natural Science Foundation, No. 2021JJA140912 (to JYH); Guangxi Key Research and Development Program, No. GuikeAB21196022, GuikeAA22412, GuikeAA22398 (to MZN); Guangxi Innovation-Driven Development Program, No. AA18118016 (to MZN); Nanning Municipal Science and Technology Development Program Major Project, No. 20221023 (to JYH); National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82460160 (to JYH); National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82270806 (to MZN); Hubei Provincial Natural Science Foundation, No. 2024AFB776 (to JJH)

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Somatostatin is a common neuropeptide and gastrointestinal cyclic peptide hormone, but its mechanism of action in the adrenal gland remains unclear.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the regulatory effect of somatostatin on corticosteroid hormone synthesis using single-cell transcriptomics and in vitro experiments.
METHODS: Single-cell transcriptomic analysis was conducted to examine the expression profile of somatostatin receptors in both embryonic and adult adrenal glands. qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence assays were employed to analyze receptor subtypes. To further explore the effect of somatostatin on corticosteroid synthesis, NCI-H295R adrenocortical cells were stimulated with different concentrations of somatostatin. ELISA was used to detect the expression changes of dehydroepiandrosterone, cortisol, aldosterone, and their key metabolic enzymes (CYP17A1, HSD3B2, and CYB5A).
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Single-cell transcriptomic analysis revealed that only a small number of embryonic adrenal medullary cells expressed somatostatin, with no somatostatin expression observed in the adult adrenal gland. However, both embryonic and adult adrenal steroidogenic cells exhibited significant expression of somatostatin receptor 2. (2) qRT-PCR confirmed high expression of somatostatin receptor 2 in NCI-H295R cells. (3) Low concentrations of somatostatin (1 nmol/L) inhibited dehydroepiandrosterone secretion (P < 0.05), and CYB5A expression was downregulated; while 10 nmol/L somatostatin significantly promoted dehydroepiandrosterone synthesis (P < 0.05), and CYB5A was upregulated. Interestingly, different concentrations of somatostatin stimulation had no significant effect on cortisol synthesis. (4) This suggests that somatostatin can bidirectionally regulate the synthesis and secretion of dehydroepiandrosterone in adrenocortical cells through somatostatin receptor 2, but its effect on cortisol and aldosterone synthesis is not significant.

Key words: single-cell RNA sequencing, somatostatin, somatostatin receptor 2, dehydroepiandrosterone, cortisol, aldosterone

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