1. Academic Validation
  2. The role of bone morphogenetic protein signaling in vascular calcification

The role of bone morphogenetic protein signaling in vascular calcification

  • Bone. 2020 Dec;141:115542. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2020.115542.
Peiran Yang 1 Luca Troncone 1 Zachary M Augur 1 Stephanie S J Kim 1 Megan E McNeil 1 Paul B Yu 2
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
  • 2 Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: pbyu@bwh.harvard.edu.
Abstract

Vascular calcification is associated with atherosclerosis, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes, and results from processes resembling endochondral or intramembranous ossification, or from processes that are distinct from ossification. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP), as well as other ligands, receptors, and regulators of the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) family regulate vascular and valvular calcification by modulating the phenotypic plasticity of multipotent progenitor lineages associated with the vasculature or valves. While osteogenic ligands BMP2 and BMP4 appear to be both markers and drivers of vascular calcification, particularly in atherosclerosis, BMP7 may serve to protect against calcification in chronic kidney disease. BMP signaling regulators such as matrix Gla protein and BMP-binding endothelial regulator protein (BMPER) play protective roles in vascular calcification. The effects of BMP signaling molecules in vascular calcification are context-dependent, tissue-dependent, and cell-type specific. Here we review the current knowledge on mechanisms by which BMP signaling regulates vascular calcification and the potential therapeutic implications.

Keywords

Atherosclerosis; Bone morphogenetic protein; Chronic kidney disease; Diabetes; Medial calcification; Mineralization; Transforming growth factor beta; Vascular calcification; Vascular disease.

Figures
Products