title: Nongenomic effects of aldosterone: cellular aspects and clinical implications.
abstract: Nongenomic action of aldosterone has been observed in many cell types which often are different from the classic target tissues for mineralocorticoid action, such as vascular cells. As judged from their time scale and insensitivity toward inhibitors of protein synthesis, effects are not mediated by the classic mineralocorticoid receptor pathway. Here we summarize studies on rapid in vitro aldosterone effects, e.g. ion fluxes, and second messengers involved therein. Furthermore, several clinical studies on in vivo aldosterone action have shown rapid effects on cardiovascular parameters, among them baroreflex and vascular resistance. Taken together with the beneficial effect of aldosterone antagonism in heart failure patients that was demonstrated in the Randomized Aldactone Evaluation Study (RALES), aldosterone may be an equally important factor of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in cardiovascular pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty for Clinical Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Ralf M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Lösel
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Feuring
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Falkenstein
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wehling
mesh_terms: D000450:Aldosterone / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D017704:Baroreflex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D017136:Ion Transport / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D015290:Second Messenger Systems / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000450:Aldosterone; D002118:Calcium