title: Endogenous ouabain in cardiovascular function and disease.
abstract: An endogenous ouabain has been isolated and conclusively identified from several mammalian tissues, including human plasma, by a number of independent laboratories. Substantial evidence from independent laboratories in several continents is consistent with an adrenal source for most if not all of the circulating endogenous ouabain. Accumulating evidence suggests that circulating levels of endogenous ouabain in humans are modulated by dietary salt and chronic volume status. Endogenous ouabain is linked significantly with vascular function in hypertension and likely impacts the pathogenesis of heart and renal failure. Moreover, the molecular mechanism of endogenous ouabain-linked hypertension involves the sodium pump/sodium-calcium exchange duet. The outstanding analytical issues include the elucidation of distal events in the biosynthetic pathway for endogenous ouabain and identification of molecular mechanisms that regulate its secretion and clearance.
authors.affiliation: San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Division of Nephrology, Dialysis, and Hypertension, Universita' Vita-Salute San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy. manunta.paolo@hsr.it
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Manunta
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrandi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hamlyn
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000737:chemistry; D002298:Cardenolides / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004032:Diet; D006801:Humans; D010042:Ouabain / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012503:Saponins / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D002298:Cardenolides; D012503:Saponins; C034504:digoxin-like factors; D010042:Ouabain