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Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
Published on: May 31, 2016
Mechanism of pi-induced vascular calcification
Bo-Kyung Son1, Masahiro Akishita, Katsuya Iijima
1Department of Geriatric Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. son-tky@umin.ac.jp
Abstract:
Vascular calcification is clinically important in the development of cardiovascular disease. It has been suggested that apoptosis is one of the processes regulating calcification in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). In this review, we discuss the role of apoptosis in inorganic phosphate (Pi)- induced calcification, focusing on regulation of the survival pathway mediated by growth arrest- specific gene 6 (Gas6). Further, we mention the beneficial effect of statins mediated by inhibition of apoptosis which is accompanied by restoration of the Gas6-mediated survival pathway. These findings indicate that Gas6 is a novel target of statins' effects to prevent vascular calcification.
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