Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 26, 2025

Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
08:43

Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation

Published on: May 31, 2016

19.7K

MiR-708-5p/Pit-1 axis mediates high phosphate-induced calcification in vascular smooth muscle cells via

Na Wu1, Guo-Bing Liu1, Yu-Min Zhang1

  • 1Department of Cardiology, The Third Hospital of Changsha, Changsha, China.

The Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences
|April 23, 2022
PubMed

Insights

MicroRNA-708-5p (miR-708-5p) targets Pit-1, inhibiting the Wnt8b/β-catenin pathway. This mechanism reduces high phosphate-induced vascular calcification (VC), suggesting miR-708-5p as a potential therapeutic target for VC.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Biology
  • Molecular Medicine
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Vascular calcification (VC) remains a prevalent condition with limited treatment options.
  • Understanding the molecular mechanisms driving VC is crucial for developing effective therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of the microRNA-708-5p (miR-708-5p)/sodium-phosphate transporter 1 (Pit-1) axis in high phosphate-induced VC.
  • To elucidate the underlying molecular pathways involved in this process.

Main Methods:

  • Assessed calcium deposition using Alizarin Red S staining and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity.
  • Quantified miR-708-5p and Pit-1 levels via RT-qPCR and Western blot.
  • Validated miR-708-5p and Pit-1 interaction using luciferase reporter assays.

Main Results:

  • miR-708-5p was downregulated, while Pit-1 was upregulated in high phosphate-induced VC.
  • miR-708-5p mimics significantly inhibited high phosphate-induced VC.
  • miR-708-5p directly targets Pit-1, inactivating the Wnt8b/β-catenin pathway.

Conclusions:

  • miR-708-5p plays a critical role in regulating vascular calcification by targeting Pit-1 and inhibiting the Wnt8b/β-catenin pathway.
  • The miR-708-5p/Pit-1 axis presents a promising novel therapeutic target for vascular calcification treatment.
Keywords:
MiR-708-5phigh phosphatepit-1vascular calcification

More Related Videos

A Semi-Automated and Reproducible Biological-Based Method to Quantify Calcium Deposition In Vitro11:30

A Semi-Automated and Reproducible Biological-Based Method to Quantify Calcium Deposition In Vitro

Published on: June 2, 2022

2.1K
A Calcium Phosphate-Induced Mouse Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Model05:14

A Calcium Phosphate-Induced Mouse Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Model

Published on: November 18, 2022

4.1K

Related Concept Videos

Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathways01:41

Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathways

Wnt is a zygotic effect gene that is expressed during very early embryonic development. It regulates various processes in animals starting from early development through the adult stage, such as organogenesis in the embryo and maintenance of neuronal and blood stem cells. Wnt proteins can induce a wide variety of intracellular pathways depending upon the specific abilities of different Wnt ligands to form a complex with shared and cognate receptors in the presence of different co-receptors. The...
7.5K
Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway02:54

Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway

The gene encoding the main signaling molecules of the Wnt signaling pathways (the Wnt proteins) was discovered almost four decades ago by Nüsslein-Volhard and Wieschaus. They identified and originally named the gene "wingless" (wg) after a phenotype discovered during their landmark genetic screen in Drosophila for body pattern defects. At around the same time, another researcher named Harold Varmus found that a murine tumor virus activates the mammalian wg homolog, Int-1, which...
9.0K
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a...
4.1K
Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply01:24

Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply

Rapidly dividing tumors, embryos, and wounded tissues require more oxygen than usual, lowering the oxygen concentration in the blood. At low oxygen or hypoxic conditions, an oxygen-sensitive transcription factor called the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 or HIF1 is activated. HIF1 is a dimeric protein of alpha (ɑ) and beta (β) subunits.  Under optimal oxygen conditions, HIF1β is present in the nucleus while HIF1ɑ remains in the cytosol. HIF1ɑ is hydroxylated by prolyl...
2.8K
Phosphoinositides and PIPs01:42

Phosphoinositides and PIPs

Phosphoinositides are a group of phospholipids containing a glycerol backbone with two fatty acid chains and a phosphate attached to a myoinositol sugar ring. The inositol head group extends into the cytoplasm, where it is modified by adding phosphate groups to form phosphatidylinositol phosphates or PIPs.
Different phosphoinositides are synthesized and recruited on the cytosolic face of the plasma membrane. The localization of specific phosphoinositides concentrated in separate membrane...
8.8K
Catenins01:23

Catenins

Catenins are characterized by multiple binding domains and dynamic structures that allow them to function as linker proteins in cell junction complexes. All catenins, except α-catenin, contain a characteristic protein sequence called the armadillo repeat and are therefore also called armadillo proteins.
Catenins in Cell Junctions
Catenins bind to cell adhesion molecules such as cadherins and link them to different cytoskeletal proteins depending on the type of cell junction. At the...
2.5K