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Updated: Jun 5, 2025

Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
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Published on: May 31, 2016

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The Bone-Vascular Axis: A Key Player in Chronic Kidney Disease Associated Vascular Calcification

Yingjing Shen1, Chen Yu2

  • 1Department of Nephrology, Shanghai Tianyou Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.

Kidney Diseases (Basel, Switzerland)
|December 12, 2024
PubMed

Insights

The bone-vascular axis significantly impacts vascular calcification in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Managing bone metabolism markers is crucial for treating CKD-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) complications.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Nephrology
  • Vascular Biology

Background:

  • The bone-vascular axis is integral to vascular calcification (VC) pathogenesis in chronic kidney disease (CKD).
  • CKD-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) management is vital for preventing osteoporosis, arterial calcification, and cardiovascular diseases.
  • Uremic toxins drive VC by inducing vascular smooth muscle cell transdifferentiation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To comprehensively review the role of bone metabolism markers in uremic VC.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms linking bone and vascular health in CKD.
  • To highlight therapeutic targets for CKD-MBD.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on the bone-vascular axis in CKD.
  • Analysis of the role of specific bone metabolism markers.
  • Synthesis of current understanding of VC pathogenesis in CKD.

Main Results:

  • The skeleton acts as an endocrine organ, influencing systemic metabolism and vascular remodeling.
  • Sclerostin, from bone cells, can protect against WNT-induced calcification.
  • Therapeutic strategies aim to reduce sclerostin production and osteogenic smooth muscle cell differentiation.
  • Calciprotein particles facilitate calcium-phosphate delivery and FGF-23 expression.

Conclusions:

  • Bone metabolism markers are critical targets for managing VC in CKD.
  • Understanding the bone-vascular axis offers new therapeutic avenues for CKD-MBD.
  • Interventions targeting sclerostin and vascular smooth muscle cell differentiation show promise.
Abstract

Keywords:
Bone metabolism markerBone-vascular axisChronic kidney diseaseOsteoporosisVascular calcification

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