Cellular Localisation of mineralocorticoid receptor-mediated vascular inflammation and cardiac fibrosis.

Funding Activity

Website
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/388914

Funding Status
Closed

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Funded Activity Summary

Cardiovascular disease is a major health and economic burden throughout the world, especially in developed countries and is the leading cause of death and disability in Australia, claiming the lives of over 50,000 Australians each year. Heart failure accounts for many of these deaths and the incidence continues to increase. Two recent large scale clinical trials have shown a 30-35% improvement in patient outcome when a blocker for the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) is included in current best practice therapy for either heart failure or after a heart attack. The mechanisms underlying these benefits remain to be identified. We have shown that the hormone aldosterone and its receptor, the MR, not only play an important role in the development of high blood pressure but also the progression of cardiac disease. Our most recent studies have shown that blocking the MR not only prevents cardiac fibrosis and vascular damage, but also reverses this process. To understand the mechanisms that translate MR signalling into blood vessel damage and cardiac fibrosis we wish to use mice who have the MR gene inactivated in specific cells only. In this way we can identify those cells critical to the disease process and focus our investigations to these cell types. Understanding the cell specific regulatory mechanisms for the MR may enable the development of heart-specfic blockers of the MR that have minimal, if any side effects.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2006

End Date: 01-01-2008

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $476,264.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Cardiology (incl. Cardiovascular Diseases)

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

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Other Keywords

aldosterone action | cardiac failure | cardiac fibrosis | cardiovascular disease | glucocorticoid action | steroid receptor signalling | steroid receptors and heart disease | tissue specific knockout | vascular inflammation

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