title: Modulation of Immunity and Inflammation by the Mineralocorticoid Receptor and Aldosterone.
abstract: The mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) is a ligand dependent transcription factor. MR has been traditionally associated with the control of water and electrolyte homeostasis in order to keep blood pressure through aldosterone activation. However, there is growing evidence indicating that MR expression is not restricted to vascular and renal tissues, as it can be also expressed by cells of the immune system, where it responds to stimulation or antagonism, controlling immune cell function. On the other hand, aldosterone also has been associated with proinflammatory immune effects, such as the release of proinflammatory cytokines, generating oxidative stress and inducing fibrosis. The inflammatory participation of MR and aldosterone in the cardiovascular disease suggests an association with alterations in the immune system. Hypertensive patients show higher levels of proinflammatory mediators that can be modulated by MR antagonism. Although these proinflammatory properties have been observed in other autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases, the cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate these effects remain unknown. Here we review and discuss the scientific work aimed at determining the immunological role of MR and aldosterone in humans, as well as animal models.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Milenio en Inmunología e Inmunoterapia, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda 340, 8331150 Santiago de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Durango
authors.affiliation: Instituto Milenio en Inmunología e Inmunoterapia, Departamento de Endocrinología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Lira 85, 8330074 Santiago de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vecchiola
authors.affiliation: Instituto Milenio en Inmunología e Inmunoterapia, Departamento de Endocrinología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Lira 85, 8330074 Santiago de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Gomez
authors.affiliation: Instituto Milenio en Inmunología e Inmunoterapia, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Andres Bello, República 217, 8370146 Santiago de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.affiliation: Instituto Milenio en Inmunología e Inmunoterapia, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Andres Bello, República 217, 8370146 Santiago de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Riedel
authors.affiliation: Instituto Milenio en Inmunología e Inmunoterapia, Departamento de Endocrinología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Lira 85, 8330074 Santiago de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Fardella
authors.affiliation: Instituto Milenio en Inmunología e Inmunoterapia, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda 340, 8331150 Santiago de Chile, Chile ; Departamento de Inmunología Clínica y Reumatología, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda 340, 8331150 Santiago de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kalergis
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000276:immunology*; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000276:immunology; D056747:Immunomodulation / Q000276:immunology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology*; D018448:Models, Immunological; D018161:Receptors, Mineralocorticoid / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D018161:Receptors, Mineralocorticoid; D000450:Aldosterone