We have assessed the effects of time and dose of mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids in an in vitro model of inflammation. Our methods include multiplex arrays, gene amplification with polymerase chain reaction, and microarray analysis. Dexamethasone (a pure glucocorticoid) and aldosterone (a mineralocorticoid) and deoxycorticosterone (a pure mineralocorticoid agonist) have fundamentally different inflammatory modulating effects on endothelial cells that are activated with endotoxin. We are currently assessing interactions of these molecules on signaling pathways and gene expression. These data will help to provide some insights into their clinical effects when used in patients with severe hypotension from septic shock.
