Infection of Increases Phosphate-Induced Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.

Accumulating evidence suggests a link between periodontal disease and cardiovascular diseases. Vascular calcification is the pathological precipitation of phosphate and calcium in the vasculature and is closely associated with increased cardiovascular risk and mortality. In this study, we have demonstrated that the infection with (), one of the major periodontal pathogens, increases inorganic phosphate-induced vascular calcification through the phenotype transition, apoptosis, and matrix vesicle release of vascular smooth muscle cells. Moreover, infection accelerated the phosphate-induced calcium deposition in cultured rat aorta ex vivo. Taken together, our findings indicate that contributes to the periodontal infection-related vascular diseases associated with vascular calcification.