Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2025

Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
Published on: May 31, 2016
Saturated fatty acid promotes calcification via suppressing SIRT6 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells
Yafen Tao1,2, Yue Wu1,2, Chuanyue Jiang1,2
1Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Clinical and Preclinical Research in Respiratory Disease, Molecular Diagnosis Center.
Background:
This study aims to investigate the effects of saturated free fatty acid on calcification and SIRT6 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and the role of SIRT6 in regulating VSMC calcification.
Methods:
Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to two groups: rats with normal diet (ND) and high-fat diet (HFD) from 4 to 12 weeks. At 12 weeks, part rats randomly selected from ND and HFD were administrated with vitamin D3 and nicotine to establish a model of vascular calcification. Thoracic aortas were collected from treatment rats at 16 weeks for assaying vascular calcification and related protein expression. Primary VSMCs isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats were used for investigating the effects of palmitic acid on VSMCs' calcification, apoptosis and target protein expression.
Results:
HFD-facilitated calcification in medial aorta, with decreased SIRT6 expression in VSMCs of aortas. Palmitic acid decreased SIRT6 expression while increased calcification, apoptosis and protein expression of BMP2 and RUNX2 in primary VSMCs. Overexpression of SIRT6 could, partially or completely, rescue the palmitic acid-induced elevation of calcification, apoptosis and expression of BMP2 and RUNX2.
Conclusion:
This study demonstrated that vascular calcification induced by HFD was linked to the palmitic acid-induced downregulation of SIRT6. Overexpression of SIRT6 could decrease palmitic acid-induced calcification and apoptosis in VSMCs.
Related Concept Videos
Atherosclerosis I: Introduction
Antihypertensive Drugs: Action of Calcium Channel Blockers
Smooth Muscle Contraction
The onset of contraction is triggered by an increase in calcium ions within the sarcoplasm, similar to the process in striated muscle. However, smooth muscles have a relatively smaller reservoir of the sarcoplasmic...
Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation
Considering cholesterol and...
Inflammation
Calmodulin-dependent Signaling
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...

