It was reported that aldosterone induces inflammation in rat vascular smooth muscle cells via the mineralocorticoid receptor, reactive oxygen species, the MAPK pathway and the NF-κB pathway41, and it has also been shown that the mineralocorticoid receptor in vascular smooth muscle cells is extremely important for arteriosclerosis caused by aldosterone and salt using VSCM-specific MR knockout mice42. This evidence concerns the gene NR3C2 and arteriosclerosis.