Puerarin Attenuates Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (02) ◽  
pp. 337-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiong Lu ◽  
Da-Xiong Xiang ◽  
Hai-Yan Yuan ◽  
Yiwen Xiao ◽  
Ling-Qing Yuan ◽  
...  

Several studies demonstrate that estradiol can prevent arterial calcification. However, little is known regarding the effect of puerarin, a phytoestrogen extracted from Radix Puerariae, on arterial calcification. The aim of the present study was to determine whether puerarin reduced osteoblastic differentiation of calcifying vascular smooth muscle cells (CVSMCs). The CVSMCs were isolated from mice aorta and treated with different concentrations of puerarin. The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, osteocalcin secretion and Runx2 expression were determined. To examine whether estrogen receptors (ERs) PI3K and Akt play a role in this effect, ICI182789, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, LY294002, or the Akt inhibitor, 1L-6-hydroxymethyl-chiro-inositol 2-(R)-2-O-methyl-3-O-octadecylcarbonate (HIMO) was used. Our results showed puerarin could inhibit ALP activity, osteocalcin secretion and Runx2 expression in CVSMCs. Puerarin could induce the activation of Akt. Furthermore, pretreatment of ICI182780, LY294002, HIMO could abolish the effect of puerarin on ALP activity in CVSMCs. Our experiment demonstrated that puerain could attenuate the osteoblastic differentiation of VSMCs through the ER/PI3K-Akt signal pathway.

Author(s):  
Yun Zhou ◽  
Li-Long Wei ◽  
Rui-Ping Zhang ◽  
Cheng-Wu Han ◽  
Yongtong Cao

AbstractLipid metabolism is closely related to the improvement of vascular calcification (VC) in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Globular adiponectin (gAd) has been reported to be involved in the development of VC in CKD, but the detailed regulatory role remains unclear. The present study is aimed to investigate the biological function and the underlying regulation mechanism of gAd in the process of VC during CKD. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) calcification was determined by Alizarin Red S staining. Protein signaling related with VC was tested by western blotting. The expression and intracellular localization of runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) was detected by immunofluorescence and uraemic rat with VC was established by a two-step nephrectomy. Combined with the results of Alizarin Red S staining, we discovered that β-glycerophosphate (β-Gp)-induced the osteoblastic differentiation of VSMCs was significantly reversed by gAd treatment. Along with the VSMCs calcification and the increase of Runx2 in β-Gp-exposed VSMCs, the activities of protein kinase B (AKT) and Wnt/β-catenin pathway were enhanced, but that were counteracted by the exposure of gAd in rat and human VSMCs. After administration with agonists of the Wnt (SKL2001) and AKT (SC79), there appeared more osteoblastic differentiation and higher expression of Runx2 in gAd-treated VSMCs, but showing lower impact in the presence of SC79 than that in the presence of SKL2001. In the in vivo experiments, intravenous injection of gAd also significantly inhibited VC and Runx2 level in uraemic rat in a dose-dependent manner, possibly through regulating Wnt/β-catenin pathway. This study demonstrates that gAd ameliorates osteoblastic differentiation of VSMCs possibly by blocking PI3K/AKT and Wnt/β-catenin signaling transduction. The findings provide an important foundation for gAd in treating VC in kidney diseases.


2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 165-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongxing Zhu ◽  
Neil Charles Wallace Mackenzie ◽  
Catherine M. Shanahan ◽  
Rukshana C. Shroff ◽  
Colin Farquharson ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (suppl_3) ◽  
pp. iii233-iii233
Author(s):  
Paola Ciceri ◽  
Francesca Elli ◽  
Monica Falleni ◽  
Delfina Tosi ◽  
Gaetano Bulfamante ◽  
...  

Toxins ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Britt Opdebeeck ◽  
Patrick C. D’Haese ◽  
Anja Verhulst

The protein-bound uremic toxins, indoxyl sulfate (IS) and p-cresyl sulfate (PCS), are considered to be harmful vascular toxins. Arterial media calcification, or the deposition of calcium phosphate crystals in the arteries, contributes significantly to cardiovascular complications, including left ventricular hypertrophy, hypertension, and impaired coronary perfusion in the elderly and patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes. Recently, we reported that both IS and PCS trigger moderate to severe calcification in the aorta and peripheral vessels of CKD rats. This review describes the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which these uremic toxins induce arterial media calcification. A complex interplay between inflammation, coagulation, and lipid metabolism pathways, influenced by epigenetic factors, is crucial in IS/PCS-induced arterial media calcification. High levels of glucose are linked to these events, suggesting that a good balance between glucose and lipid levels might be important. On the cellular level, effects on endothelial cells, which act as the primary sensors of circulating pathological triggers, might be as important as those on vascular smooth muscle cells. Endothelial dysfunction, provoked by IS and PCS triggered oxidative stress, may be considered a key event in the onset and development of arterial media calcification. In this review a number of important outstanding questions such as the role of miRNA’s, phenotypic switching of both endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells and new types of programmed cell death in arterial media calcification related to protein-bound uremic toxins are put forward and discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Li ◽  
Ying Wang ◽  
Xue Liu ◽  
Bin Liu ◽  
Zhao-yang Wang ◽  
...  

AbstractAccelerated atherosclerotic calcification is responsible for plaque burden, especially in diabetes. The regulatory mechanism for atherosclerotic calcification in diabetes is poorly characterized. Here we show that deletion of PARP-1, a main enzyme in diverse metabolic complications, attenuates diabetic atherosclerotic calcification and decreases vessel stiffening in mice through Runx2 suppression. Specifically, PARP-1 deficiency reduces diabetic arteriosclerotic calcification by regulating Stat1-mediated synthetic phenotype switching of vascular smooth muscle cells and macrophage polarization. Meanwhile, both vascular smooth muscle cells and macrophages manifested osteogenic differentiation in osteogenic media, which was attenuated by PARP-1/Stat1 inhibition. Notably, Stat1 acts as a positive transcription factor by directly binding to the promoter of Runx2 and promoting atherosclerotic calcification in diabetes. Our results identify a new function of PARP-1, in which metabolism disturbance-related stimuli activate the Runx2 expression mediated by Stat1 transcription to facilitate diabetic arteriosclerotic calcification. PARP-1 inhibition may therefore represent a useful therapy for this challenging complication.


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