Aldosterone and renal injury

Abstract

Our recent efforts have been focused on the mechanisms responsible for the progression of aldosterone-induced renal injury. We have demonstrated in rats that chronic treatment with aldosterone (0.75 μg/H, SC) and 1% NaCl (in drinking solution) results in severe proteinuria and glomerular injury, characterized by cell proliferation and mesangial matrix expansion. Increased renal cortical NAD (P) H oxidase expression, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation were also observed. Treatment with a selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, eplerenone (0.125% in chow), or an antioxidant, tempol (3 mM in drinking solution), prevented elevations of ROS levels and MAPK activity, as well as ameliorating glomerular injury, indicating that aldosterone-induced glomerular injury is associated with redox-sensitive MAPK activation. In vitro studies showed that mineralocorticoid receptors are highly expressed in rats mesangial cells, particularly in the cytoplasm. Aldosterone (100 nM) application activates MAPK and causes cellular proliferation and deformation. These data suggest that aldosterone contributes to the progression of glomerular injury through its direct actions.