Glucocorticoid signaling in cardiac disease

Abstract

As major mediators of stress regulation, glucocorticoids have an essential role in maintaining cardiovascular homeostasis under both physiological and pathological conditions. The release of glucocorticoids into the peripheral circulation is adjusted by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in response to various pathological challenges such as sepsis, starvation, and psychological stress. Clinically, dysregulation of the glucocorticoid-mediated signaling as a result of either excess ligand or receptor hypersensitivity is connected with the progression of unfavorable cardiovascular events such as cardiac hypertrophy, atherosclerosis, and coronary artery disease. The direct effects of glucocorticoids on cardiac tissues are mediated by two steroid receptors, the glucocorticoid receptor and mineralocorticoid receptor, which are both expressed by cardiomyocytes. Although each receptor has some shared responses to glucocorticoids, each receptor also has unique effects on cardiac functions. Elucidating the selective actions of each receptor is critical for determining the proper pharmaceutical targets in cardiovascular diseases.