title: Influence of aldosterone and salt or ouabain in a10 rat aorta smooth muscle cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is currently under debate whether aldosterone is able to induce fibrosis or whether it acts only as a cofactor under pathological conditions, e.g. as an elevated salt (NaCl) load.
  
  
  METHODS
  We tested the interaction of 10 nM aldosterone, 15 mM NaCl and 1 μM ouabain using rat aorta smooth muscle cells (A10) with respect to the following parameters: necrosis, apoptosis, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase activity, glutathione (GSH) content, collagen and fibronectin homeostasis and intracellular calcium distribution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Necrosis rates were increased after 48 h of incubation with aldosterone, salt or ouabain and in the combination of aldosterone and salt or ouabain. Apoptosis rates were decreased. A reduced defense capacity against oxidative stress was mirrored in the decreased G6PD activity and GSH content. Collagen III or fibronectin synthesis rates were unchanged, but gelatinase activity was increased resulting in a decreased media collagen III and fibronectin content. Calcium stores were increased by aldosterone in combination with ouabain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aldosterone and salt per se can lead to cell injury that is aggravated in combination or with cardiotonic steroids. In cooperation with other vascular cells, this can generate a permissive milieu enabling aldosterone or salt to promote more extensive vascular injury.
authors.affiliation: Julius-Bernstein-Institut für Physiologie, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany. gerald.schwerdt@medizin.uni-halle.de
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schwerdt
authors.forename: Annett
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frisch
authors.forename: Sigrid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mildenberger
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hilgenfeld
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grossmann
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gekle
mesh_terms: D000450:Aldosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010042:Ouabain / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D024061:Collagen Type III; D005353:Fibronectins; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D000450:Aldosterone; D010042:Ouabain; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase; D005978:Glutathione; D002118:Calcium