Effects of Aldosterone on the expression of transforming growth factor-beta 1 in cardiac fibroblasts

【Objective】To investigate the effects of Aldosterone on the expression of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) in cardiac fibroblasts. 【Methods】Neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts were isolated by trypsin digestion and different speed adherence methods. TGF-β1 concentration of culture solution, intracellular TGF-β1 level, and TGF-β1 mRNA expression in different condition were measured by ELISA, Western-Blot, and RT-PCR methods, respectively. 【Results】Aldosterone (10-9, 10-8, 10-7 mol/L) induced a dose-dependent changes in TGF-β1 mRNA expression, as well as TGF-β1 synthesis and secretion in cardiac fibroblasts. Meanwhile, aldosterone (10-7 mol/L) timerelated induced TGF-β1 mRNA expression in cardiac fibroblasts, which began to increase in 4 h and attained the highest level in 8 h. The effects of Aldosterone (10-7 mol/L) were significantly inhibited by the pre-incubation with Spironolactone (10-6 mol/L).【Conclusion】These results showed that Aldosterone increased the expression of TGF-β1 mRNA, as well as TGF-β1 synthesis and secretion via mineralocorticoid receptor in cardiac fibroblasts.