Oxidative stress induces vascular calcification through modulation of the osteogenic transcription factor Runx2 by AKT signaling.

ABSTRACT: Oxidative stress plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis including the formation of lipid laden macrophages and the development of inflammation. However, oxidative stress-induced molecular signaling that regulates the development of vascular calcification has not been investigated in depth. Osteogenic differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) is critical in the development of calcification in atherosclerotic lesions. An important contributor to oxidative stress in atherosclerotic lesions is the formation of hydrogen peroxide from diverse sources in vascular cells. In this study we defined molecular signaling that is operative in the H2O2-induced VSMC calcification. We found that H2O2 promotes a phenotypic switch of VSMC from contractile to osteogenic pheno

SUBMITTER: Byon CH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2397455 | biostudies-literature | 2008 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature