Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 10, 2026

Induction of Atherosclerotic Plaques Through Activation of Mineralocorticoid Receptors in Apolipoprotein E-deficient Mice
07:36

Induction of Atherosclerotic Plaques Through Activation of Mineralocorticoid Receptors in Apolipoprotein E-deficient Mice

Published on: September 26, 2018

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Aldosterone and the Mineralocorticoid Receptor: Risk Factors for Cardiometabolic Disorders

Rajesh Garg1, Gail K Adler

  • 1Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 221 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.

Current Hypertension Reports
|June 13, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) activation in fat tissue drives dysfunction, promoting metabolic and cardiovascular disease. MR antagonists show promise for treating type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology and Metabolism
  • Cardiovascular Science
  • Adipose Tissue Biology

Background:

  • Preclinical studies implicate the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) in adipose tissue physiology.
  • Increased MR activation in adipocytes leads to dysfunction, reducing insulin-sensitizing products and increasing inflammatory factors.
  • MR activation is a potential link between obesity, metabolic syndrome, and related cardiometabolic diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the role of MR in adipose tissue dysfunction.
  • To investigate the potential of MR antagonists in managing metabolic and cardiovascular complications.
  • To summarize current evidence on MR antagonists in type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.

Main Methods:

  • Review of preclinical studies on MR activation in adipose tissue.
  • Analysis of clinical data on MR antagonist use in heart failure patients.
  • Examination of recent trials investigating MR antagonists for cardiometabolic damage reversal in type 2 diabetes.

Main Results:

  • Preclinical data show MR activation causes adipocyte dysfunction, contributing to metabolic and cardiovascular disease.
  • MR activation appears to link obesity and metabolic syndrome, mediating pathogenic consequences.
  • MR antagonists have shown promising results in reversing cardiometabolic damage in type 2 diabetes patients and reduce mortality/morbidity in heart failure.

Conclusions:

  • MR plays a significant role in adipose tissue dysfunction and cardiometabolic disease development.
  • MR antagonists are effective in heart failure and show potential for treating type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.
  • Further research is needed to confirm the benefits of MR antagonists in these metabolic conditions.

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