Vascular calcification is a strong predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, especially in individuals with chronic kidney disease or diabetes. The mechanism of vascular calcification has remained unclear, however, and no effective therapy is currently available. Our study was aimed at identifying the role of dynamic remodeling of microtubule cytoskeletons in hyperphosphatemia-induced vascular calcification. Exposure of primary cultures of mouse vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) to inorganic phosphate (Pi) elicited ectopic calcification that was associated with changes in tubulin dynamics, induction of osteogenic signaling, and increased release of matrix vesicles. A microtubule depolymerizing agent enhanced Pi-dependent calcification, whereas microtubule stabilization by paclitaxel suppressed calcification both in VSMC cultures and in an ex vivo culture system for the mouse aorta. The inhibition of Pi-stimulated calcification by paclitaxel was associated with down-regulation of osteogenic signal and attenuation of matrix vesicle release. Our results indicate that microtubule plays a central role in vascular calcification, and that microtubule stabilization represents a potential new approach to the treatment of this condition.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.08.007 | DOI Listing |
J Clin Med
January 2025
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, 3800 Reservoir Road, NW, Washington, DC 20007, USA.
: Medial arterial calcification (MAC), a distinct form of vascular pathology frequently coexisting with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), poses unique challenges in limb salvage among patients with diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and end-stage renal disease. This study examines the incidence of MAC and its impact on limb salvage outcomes over a decade of experience at a tertiary limb salvage center. : A retrospective review of all complex lower extremity (LE) reconstructions using local flap (LF) or free tissue transfer (FTT), performed from July 2011 to September 2022, was conducted.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Clin Med
January 2025
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Institute Insure, German Heart Center Munich, School of Medicine & Health, Technical University of Munich, Lazarettstrasse 36, 80636 Munich, Germany.
: In the presence of porcelain aorta (PA), transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become a class I therapeutic indication for the treatment of severe aortic valve stenosis. To date, few studies have analyzed the clinical outcomes of TAVR in PA patients. We aim to analyze the calcification patterns of the thoracic aorta in PA patients and to evaluate their clinical implications for TAVR procedures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLife (Basel)
January 2025
Clinic of Nephrology, University Clinical Center of Serbia, Pasterova 2, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
Background: Undiagnosed and untreated atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS) can result in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). To obtain an accurate diagnosis, it is crucial to recognize the symptoms and signs suggesting renal artery stenosis (RAS) and perform appropriate diagnostic and treatment procedures afterward.
Case Presentation: We present a case of a 60-year-old female patient with hypertensive crisis, acute heart failure (HF), and pulmonary edema as the initial signs of acute kidney injury (AKI) caused by right RAS and left renal artery occlusion in the presence of severe aortic atherosclerosis revealed on computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the abdomen.
Medicina (Kaunas)
January 2025
Department of Cardiology, Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kauno Klinikos, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, 2 Eivenių Str., LT-50009 Kaunas, Lithuania.
: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has emerged as a pivotal intervention for managing severe aortic stenosis in high-risk surgical patients. : This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of procedural factors and patient characteristics on TAVI outcomes, with a focus on survival rates, cardiac mortality, and associated complications. : A retrospective, single-center study involving 224 patients who underwent TAVI at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences from September 2021 to April 2023 was conducted.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomedicines
December 2024
Department of Internal Medicine II-Nephrology University Clinic, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.
: Vitamin K deficiency in chronic kidney disease (CKD) could potentially occur due to multiple factors, leading to an increased risk of vascular and valvular calcifications. Vitamin K status can be indirectly assessed by measuring the blood levels of vitamin K-dependent proteins (VKDPs), such as matrix GLA protein (MGP). This study aims to examine the relationship between the levels of inactive MGP (dp-uc MGP) and the presence of valvular calcifications, as well as its association with mortality in hemodialysis patients.
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