title: Participation of the mineralocorticoid receptor in cardiac and vascular remodeling.
abstract: The mineralocorticoid receptor mediates the effects of aldosterone. In addition to its influence on fluid and electrolyte, aldosterone plays a role in cardiac hypertrophy, tissue fibrosis, and modulation of vascular reactivity. However, the intracellular signaling mechanisms induced by aldosterone are not fully understood. Aldosterone causes slow transcriptional and rapid non-transcriptional effects. The latter include changes in intracellular calcium, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and extracellularly regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation. In addition, autocrine loops involving other molecules such as the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor are also important in aldosterone-induced cellular mechanisms. This short review covers in vitro and in vivo studies that have investigated the pathophysiological role of aldosterone and the mineralocorticoid receptor in the cardiovascular system.
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Hannover, Hannover, Germany. fiebeler@fvk-berlin.de
authors.forename: Anette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fiebeler
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haller
mesh_terms: D000450:Aldosterone / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists; D051381:Rats; D018161:Receptors, Mineralocorticoid / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists; D018161:Receptors, Mineralocorticoid; D000450:Aldosterone