title: The calcium-sensing receptor and calcimimetics in blood pressure modulation.
abstract: Calcium is a crucial second messenger in the cardiovascular system. However, calcium may also be an extracellular first messenger through a G-protein-coupled receptor that senses extracellular concentration (Ca(2+)(o)), the calcium-sensing receptor (CaR). The most prominent physiological function of the CaR is to maintain the extracellular Ca(2+) level in a very tight range by regulating the circulating levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH). This control over PTH and Ca(2+) levels is partially lost in patients suffering from primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism. Allosteric modulators of the CaR (calcimimetics) are the first drugs in their class to become available for clinical use and have been shown to successfully treat certain forms of primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism. In addition, several studies suggest beneficial effects of calcimimetics on cardiovascular risk factors associated with hyperparathyroidism. Although a plethora of studies demonstrated the CaR in heart and blood vessels, exact roles of the receptor in the cardiovascular system still remain to be elucidated. However, several studies point toward a possibility that the CaR might be involved in the regulation of vascular tone. This review will summarize the current knowledge on the possible functions of the CaR and calcimimetics on blood pressure regulation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Cardiology, Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: Sanela
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Smajilovic
authors.forename: Shozo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jabbari
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tfelt-Hansen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D057966:Calcimimetic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D044169:Receptors, Calcium-Sensing / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D057966:Calcimimetic Agents; D044169:Receptors, Calcium-Sensing