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Published on: June 3, 2019
Aldosterone Impairs Vascular Smooth Muscle Function: From Clinical to Bench Research
Chia-Hung Chou1, Ying-Hsien Chen1, Chi-Sheng Hung1
1Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (C.-H.C.) and Internal Medicine (Y.-H.C., C.-S.H., Y.-L.T., V.-C.W., C.-T.T., C.-K.W., Y.-L.H. K.-D.W., Y.-H.L.), National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Cardiology Division of Cardiovascular Medical Center (Y.-Y.C.), Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan; and Department of Internal Medicine (X.-M.W.), Taoyuan General Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Aldosterone impairs vascular smooth muscle cell function by suppressing SERCA 2a expression. This leads to reduced vascular dilation, which is improved after adrenalectomy in primary aldosteronism patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Endocrinology
- Vascular Physiology
Background:
- Aldosterone's impact on vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) function remains unclear.
- Endothelial-independent vasodilation, crucial for vascular health, is regulated by sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium adenosine triphosphatase (SERCA).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of aldosterone on VSMC function.
- To examine aldosterone's regulation of SERCA.
Main Methods:
- Prospective analysis of 35 primary aldosteronism (PA) patients and 30 essential hypertension (EH) controls.
- Measurement of flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and nitrate-mediated dilation (NMD), with repeat measures post-adrenalectomy.
- In vitro study of aldosterone's effect on SERCA expression in human aortic smooth muscle cells.
Main Results:
- PA patients exhibited significantly lower FMD and NMD compared to EH controls.
- Impaired vasodilation in PA patients significantly improved one year after adrenalectomy.
- Aldosterone suppressed SERCA2a expression in human aortic smooth muscle cells via mineralocorticoid receptor-dependent pathways.
Conclusions:
- Aldosterone negatively impacts vascular smooth muscle cell function.
- Aldosterone suppresses SERCA 2a expression, contributing to impaired vascular dilation.
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