Figure 2.

Sex-specific immune and endocrine system analysis, including adrenal gland architecture and function. Male and female mice were exposed to GCRsim (0, 15, and 50 cGy) and at 14-days post-irradiation mice were euthanized and immune thymus (A) and spleens (B) organs; and endocrine, adrenal glands (C) were isolated and weighed. All tissue weights were normalized to total body weights. 14-days post-irradiation glands were isolated, fixed, paraffin-embedded, sectioned (10 μm) and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for cellular architecture identification (D) and adrenal regional morphological size (E–H). Three-days post-irradiation blood was isolated and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were performed for adrenal hormone characterization, including aldosterone (I) and corticosterone (J). Scale bars = 450 μm. Sectioned regions highlight: 1. Zona glomerulosa; 2. Zona fasciculata; 3. Vacuolated zona fasciculata; and 4. Medulla. Females (orange) and males (green) are displayed. Parametric statistical analysis was performed on (A) and (F). Nonparametric analyses were performed on (B, C, E, G, H, I, and J), as described in the methods section. Weight data represent ± SEM, p* < 0.05, n = 10–12 per group. H&E data represent ± SEM, p* < 0.05, p** < 0.01, p**** < 0.001, n = 2–3 per group. Adrenal region images were scaled up and quantified with metric measurements denoted as arbitrary units (a.u.). ELISA data represent ± SEM, p** < 0.01, n = 10 per group with technical replicates (n = 3) performed with each ELISA.