Increased calcification in osteoprotegerin-deficient smooth muscle cells: Dependence on receptor activator of NF-κB ligand and interleukin 6.

Objective: Vascular calcification is highly correlated with cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a secreted decoy receptor for receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL). Inactivation of OPG in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice increases lesion size and calcification.

Calcification of advanced atherosclerotic lesions in the innominate arteries of ApoE-deficient mice: potential role of chondrocyte-like cells.

Objective: Advanced atherosclerotic lesions in the innominate arteries of chow-fed apolipoprotein E-deficient mice become highly calcified with 100% frequency by 75 weeks of age. The time course, cell types, and mechanism(s) associated with calcification were investigated.

Methods And Results: The deposition of hydroxyapatite is preceded by the formation of fibro-fatty nodules that are populated by cells that morphologically resemble chondrocytes.