Mineralocorticoid receptor in cardiovascular diseases -- clinical trials
and mechanistic insights
Abstract
Aldosterone binds to the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), a
transcription factor of the nuclear receptor family, present in the
kidney and in various other non-epithelial cells including the heart and
the vasculature (Cannavo et al., 2018). Indeed, extra-renal
pathophysiological effects of this hormone have been characterized,
extending its actions to the cardiovascular (CV) system (Messaoudi et
al., 2012). A growing body of clinical and pre-clinical evidence
suggests that MR activation plays an important pathophysiological role
in CV remodeling by promoting cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, arterial
stiffness, as well as in inflammation and oxidative stress (Bauersachs
et al., 2015). The following review article outlines the role of MR in
CV disease with a focus on myocardial remodeling and heart failure (HF)
including clinical trials as well as cellular and animal studies.