title: Aldosterone induced galectin-3 secretion in vitro and in vivo: from cells to humans.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with primary aldosteronism are associated with increased myocardial fibrosis. Galectin-3 is one of the most important mediators between macrophage activation and myocardial fibrosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether aldosterone induces galectin-3 secretion in vitro and in vivo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We investigated the possible molecular mechanism of aldosterone-induced galectin-3 secretion in macrophage cell lines (THP-1 and RAW 264.7 cells). Aldosterone induced galectin-3 secretion through mineralocorticoid receptors via the PI3K/Akt and NF-κB transcription signaling pathways. In addition, aldosterone-induced galectin-3 expression enhanced fibrosis-related factor expression in fibroblasts. We observed that galectin-3 mRNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum galectin-3 levels were both significantly increased in mice implanted with aldosterone pellets on days 7 and 14. We then conducted a prospective preliminary clinical study to investigate the association between aldosterone and galectin-3. Patients with aldosterone-producing adenoma had a significantly higher plasma galectin-3 level than patients with essential hypertension. One year after adrenalectomy, the plasma galectin-3 level had decreased significantly in the patients with aldosterone-producing adenoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that aldosterone could induce galectin-3 secretion in vitro and in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yen-Hung
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Taoyuan General Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Xue-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Yao
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chi-Sheng
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ying-Hsien
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Tzeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Vin-Cent
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Lwun
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Fon-Jou
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kwan-Dun
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005355:Fibrosis; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006929:Hyperaldosteronism / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D037502:Galectin 3; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000450:Aldosterone