No Significant Role for Smooth Muscle Cell Mineralocorticoid Receptors in Atherosclerosis in the Apolipoprotein-E Knockout Mouse Model

Objective: Elevated levels of the hormone aldosterone are associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction and stroke in humans and increased progression and inflammation of atherosclerotic plaques in animal models. Aldosterone acts through the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) which is expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) where it promotes SMC calcification and chemokine secretion in vitro. The objective of this study is to...