RANKL Expression Is Increased in Circulating Mononuclear Cells of Patients with Calcific Aortic Stenosis

Overview

Journal J Cardiovasc Transl Res

Publisher Springer

Specialty Cardiology & Vascular Diseases

Date 2018 May 20

PMID 29777507

Citations 5

Authors

Marcello Rattazzi

Elisabetta Faggin

Elisa Bertacco

Roberta Buso

Massimo Puato

Mario Plebani

Martina Zaninotto

Davide Condotta

Giacomo Zoppellaro

Leopoldo Pagliani

Giuseppe Tarantini

Sabino Iliceto

Elisa Covolo

Giuseppe Faggian

Francesco Onorati

Mikhail Dodonov

Alessandro Daniotti

Paola Pantano

Zoran Olivari

Giovanni Benfari

Paolo Pauletto

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

We aimed to investigate whether the expression of the OPG/RANK/RANKL triad in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and circulating levels of markers of ectopic mineralization (OPG, FGF-23, PPi) are modified in patients with calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD). We found that patients affected by CAVD (n = 50) had significantly higher circulating levels of OPG as compared to control individuals (p = 0.003). No differences between the two groups were found in FGF-23 and PPi levels. RANKL expression was higher in the PBMC from CAVD patients (p = 0.018) and was directly correlated with the amount of valve calcification (p = 0.032). In vitro studies showed that treatment of valve interstitial cells (VIC) with RANKL plus phosphate was followed by increase in matrix mineralization (p = 0.001). In conclusion, RANKL expression is increased in PBMC of patients with CAVD, is directly correlated with the degree of valve calcification, and promotes pro-calcific differentiation of VIC.

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