Regression of medial elastocalcinosis in rat aorta: a new vascular function for carbonic anhydrase.

Background: We sought to determine whether carbonic anhydrase (CA), which plays an important role in bone resorption, contributes to vascular mineral loss induced by an endothelin receptor antagonist.

Methods And Results: Wistar rats were compared with rats receiving warfarin and vitamin K1 (WVK) for 8 weeks alone or in association with the endothelin receptor antagonist darusentan (30 mg/kg per day), the CA inhibitor acetazolamide (100 mg/kg per day), or both for the last 4 weeks. Rats were also treated with WVK for 5 or 6 weeks, and darusentan was added for the last week or last 2 weeks of treatment, respectively.