Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands.
University College Maastricht, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Aug 16;23(16):9178. doi: 10.3390/ijms23169178.
Vascular calcification (VC) is the pathological precipitation of calcium salts in the walls of blood vessels. It is a risk factor for cardiovascular events and their associated mortality. VC can be observed in a variety of cardiovascular diseases and is most prominent in diseases that are associated with dysregulated mineral homeostasis such as in chronic kidney disease. Local factors and mechanisms underlying VC are still incompletely understood, but it is appreciated that VC is a multifactorial process in which vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play an important role. VSMCs participate in VC by releasing extracellular vesicles (EVs), the extent, composition, and propensity to calcify of which depend on VSMC phenotype and microenvironment. Currently, no targeted therapy is available to treat VC. In-depth knowledge of molecular players of EV release and the understanding of their mechanisms constitute a vital foundation for the design of pharmacological treatments to combat VC effectively. This review highlights our current knowledge of VSMCs in VC and focuses on the biogenesis of exosomes and the role of the neutral Sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2).
血管钙化(VC)是血管壁中钙盐的病理性沉淀。它是心血管事件及其相关死亡率的一个风险因素。VC 可在多种心血管疾病中观察到,在与矿物质稳态失调相关的疾病中最为明显,如慢性肾脏病。VC 发生的局部因素和机制尚不完全清楚,但人们认识到 VC 是一个多因素的过程,其中血管平滑肌细胞(VSMCs)起着重要作用。VSMCs 通过释放细胞外囊泡(EVs)参与 VC,其释放的 EVs 的程度、组成和钙化倾向取决于 VSMC 表型和微环境。目前,尚无针对 VC 的靶向治疗方法。深入了解 EV 释放的分子参与者及其机制构成了有效对抗 VC 的药理学治疗设计的重要基础。这篇综述强调了我们目前对 VC 中 VSMCs 的认识,并重点介绍了外泌体的生物发生以及中性鞘磷脂酶 2(nSMase2)的作用。