title: [Mechanism of vascular calcification].
abstract: Vascular calcification is clinically important in the development of cardiovascular disease. It has been suggested that apoptosis and chondro/osteogenic differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) play important roles in the initiation and progression of vascular calcification. During the process of vascular calcification, growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6) mediated-survival pathway is downregulated in VSMC, leading to apoptosis. Chondro/osteogenic differentiation regulated by transcription factors such as core binding factor alpha1 (Cbfa1) or msh homeo box homolog 2 (Msx2), promotes VSMC calcification. It is clear that vascular calcification is an active process regulated by various factors including Gas6, Cbfa1, or Msx2.
authors.affiliation: The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Geriatric Medicine.
authors.forename: Bo-Kyung
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akishita
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000235:genetics*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology; D050659:Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit / Q000502:physiology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000473:pathology*; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000166:cytology; D010011:Osteocytes / Q000166:cytology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D000099255:Growth Arrest-Specific Protein 6
chemical_list: D050659:Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000099255:Growth Arrest-Specific Protein 6; C084119:MSX2 protein