Endocrine Abstracts

The role of 11beta-HSD2 is to provide selective access of aldosterone to the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) by inactivating cortisol. Evidence suggests impaired 11beta-HSD2 activity in some patients with hypertension but also in patients with renal disease where it may contribute to sodium retention, oedema and hypertension. To date these studies have relied upon urinary cortisol metabolite analyses as markers of renal 11beta-HSD2 activity. We have directly analysed renal 11b...