Tianjin Medical Journal

Tianjin Medical Journal ›› 2020, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (5): 380-384.doi: 10.11958/20193488

• Experimental Study • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The mechanism of osteoprotegerin involved in the calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells induced by β-glycerophosphate #br#

DOU Jian-xin1, SUN Li-ping1, LIU Chang-shan1, WANG Xiu-jun1, MING Yi1, SU Liang2△ #br#   

  1. 1 Department of Endocrinology, 2 Department of Cardiology Ⅱ, Weifang People's Hospital,Weifang 261000, China
  • Received:2019-11-18 Revised:2020-01-17 Published:2020-05-15 Online:2020-06-24

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Abstract:

Abstract：Objective To investigate the mechanism of osteoprotegerin intervention on thecalcification of vascular
smooth muscle cells (VSMC) induced by β -glycerophosphate in rats. Methods Rat aortic smooth muscle cells were
isolated and cultured in vitro. Cells treated with PBS were used as the control group. Cells treated with 10 mmol/L β -
glycerophosphate for 10 days to induce the calcification were used as the calcified control group, while cells treated with β-
glycerophosphate and osteoprotegerin (OPG) in dose gradients (1, 4 and 8 μg/L) were used as the osteoprotegerin intervention
group. Alizarin red staining was used to detect the formation of calcified nodules. The content of calcium deposition was
measured by the o-cresolphthalein complexone method. The alkaline phosphatase activity was determined by the
colorimetric method. The protein expressions of Notch1/RBP-JK pathway were detected by Western blot assay. Results
Alizarin red staining showed that compared with the calcified control group, the calcified nodules of VSMCs were
significantly reduced in OPG intervention groups. Compared with calcification control group, the calcium content and ALP
activity decreased significantly in OPG intervention group in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). In addition, compared
with calcification control group, the expression levels of Notch 1, RBP-JK, Jagged1 and Msx2 protein decreased significantly
in OPG intervention group (P < 0.05). Conclusion Osteoprotegerin is involved in the regulation of vascular calcification by
the down regulating the expression of Notch1/RBP-JK pathway protein.

Key words: osteoprotegerin, myocytes, smooth muscle, vascular calcification, receptor, Notch1, Notch1/RBP-JK
pathway