Objective—Clinical and experimental studies demonstrate the important roles of vascular
smooth muscle cells (VSMC) in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We have previously …

Rationale: Vascular calcification is a hallmark of atherosclerosis, a major cause of morbidity
and mortality in the United States. We have previously reported that the osteogenic …

Vascular calcification commonly associated with several pathologies and it has been
suggested to be similar to bone mineralization. The axis RANKL-OPG (receptor activator of …

Aims Vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are major precursors contributing to
osteochondrogenesis and calcification in atherosclerosis. Runt-related transcription factor-2 …

Oxidative stress plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis including the
formation of lipid laden macrophages and the development of inflammation. However …

Receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL), osteoprotegerin (OPG), and
macrophage-colony stimulating factor play essential roles in the regulation of …

The receptor activator of NF-κB (RANKL) is the essential signal required for full osteoclast
(OC) development, activation, and survival. RANKL is highly expressed in areas of …

Expression of bone-associated proteins and osteoblastic transcription factor Runx2 in
arterial cells has been implicated in the development of vascular calcification. However, the …

Objective—Vascular calcification is a characteristic feature of atherosclerosis, diabetes
mellitus, and end-stage renal disease. We have demonstrated that activation of protein …

Arterial medial calcification (AMC) is a hallmark of aging, diabetes, and chronic kidney
disease. Smooth muscle cell (SMC) transition to an osteogenic phenotype is a common …