SEX-RELATED SIGNALLING OF ALDOSTERONE/MINERALOCORTICOID RECEPTOR PATHWAY
IN CALCIFIC AORTIC STENOSIS
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There are clear sex differences in the
pathophysiology of aortic valve (AV) calcification in aortic stenosis
(AS) patients. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying
such sex differences have not been elucidated yet. Aldosterone (Aldo)
promotes proteoglycan synthesis in valve interstitial cells (VICs) from
mitral valves via the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR). We investigated
the influence of sex in the role of Aldo/MR pathway in AV calcification
in AS patients. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH AND KEY RESULTS: MR was expressed
by primary aortic VICs and in AVs from AS patients. MR expression was
positively correlated with VICs activation markers in AVs from both
sexes. However, MR expression was positively associated with molecules
involved in AV calcification only AV from in men. Aldo enhanced VICs
activation markers in cells from men and women. Interestingly, Aldo
increased the expression of calcification markers only in VICs isolated
from men. MR antagonism blocked (spironolactone) all the above effects.
Cytokine arrays showed intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 and
osteopontin to be specifically increased by Aldo in male VICs. In AVs
from men, MR expression positively associated with both ICAM-1 and
osteopontin. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: These findings demonstrate
that the Aldo/MR pathway could play a role in early stages of AS by
promoting VICs activation and ulterior calcification. Importantly,
Aldo/MR pathway is involved in early AV calcification only in men.
Accordingly, MR antagonism emerges as a new sex-specific pharmacological
treatment to prevent AV calcification in men.