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Updated: Dec 3, 2025

Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
Published on: May 31, 2016
Carnosine attenuates vascular smooth muscle cells calcification through mTOR signaling pathway
Yi Huang1, Jinli Wang1, Mandi Luo1
1Department of Geriatrics Institute of Gerontology Tongji Hospital Tongji Medical College Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan China.
Objective:
Vascular calcification is prevalent in the aging population, as we know that arterial calcification is associated with aging. Recent studies have demonstrated that carnosine, a naturally occurring dipeptide, performs the treatment of aging-related diseases, such as atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes. Here, we investigated the role of carnosine in a calcification model of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs).
Methods:
In this research, we used an in vitro model of VSMC calcification to investigate the role of carnosine in the progression of rat VSMC calcification.
Results:
Carnosine treatment attenuated calcium deposition in a dose-dependent manner, detected by Alizarin Red S staining and calcium content assay. Carnosine also reduced the protein level of Runx2, bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2), and cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Further, carnosine inhibited the activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway.
Conclusion:
Carnosine attenuated the VSMC calcification via inhibition of osteoblastic transdifferentiation and the mTOR signaling pathway.
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