Regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell calcification by syndecan-4/FGF-2/PKCα signalling and cross-talk with TGFβ.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Vascular calcification is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) plays an instructive role in osteogenesis and bone development, but its role in vascular calcification was unknown. Therefore, we investigated the involvement of FGF-2 in vascular calcification and determined the mechanism by which it regulates this process.

Methods and results

We demonstrate that FGF-2 expression is increased in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) induced to deposit a mineralized matrix by incubation with β-glycerophosphate. FGF-2 is also localized to sites of calcification within human atherosclerotic plaques. The expression of syndecan-4, a heparan sulfate proteoglycan which regulates FGF-2 signalling, is also increased in mineralizing VSMCs and co

SUBMITTER: Borland SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5852548 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature