A narrative review of exosomes in vascular calcification

Abstract

Vascular calcification (VC) is the abnormal deposition of calcium, phosphorus, and other minerals in the vessel wall and can be commonly observed in diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and chronic inflammatory disease. It is closely associated with mortality from cardiovascular events. Traditionally, calcification is considered as a degenerative disease associated with the aging process, while increasing evidence has shown that the occurrence and development of calcification is an active biological process, which is highly regulated by multiple factors. The molecular mechanisms of VC have not yet been fully elucidated. Exosomes, as important transporters of substance transport and intercellular communication, have been shown to participate in VC. The regulation of VC by exosomes involves a number of complex biological processes, which occur through a variety of interaction mechanisms. However, the specific role and mechanism of exosomes in the process of VC are still not fully understood and require further study. This review will briefly describe the roles of exosomes in the process of VC including in the promotion of extracellular mineral deposits, induction of phenotypic conversion of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), transport of microRNA between cells, and regulation on autophagy and oxidative stress, with the aim of providing novel ideas for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of VC.

Extracellular Vesicles From LPS-Treated Macrophages Aggravate Smooth Muscle Cell Calcification by Propagating Inflammation and Oxidative Stress

“…Furthermore, an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production is involved in VSMC osteochondrogenic trans-differentiation during the VC process ( Tóth et al, 2020 ; Hu et al, 2021 ). Recent studies have highlighted the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in VC ( Hodroge et al, 2017 ; Mansour et al, 2020 ; Yaker et al, 2020 ; Qin et al, 2021 ). These membrane-bound vesicles, secreted by prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells ( Woith et al, 2019 ), can be of various origins, depending on their mode of biogenesis.…”

Exosomal Composition, Biogenesis and Profiling Using Point-of-Care Diagnostics—Implications for Cardiovascular Disease

“…Numerous studies have shown that exosomes share many characteristics of matrix vesicles (MVs), which are unique extracellular membrane-bound microparticles that serve as initial sites for mineral formation ( Qin et al, 2021 ). Exosomes are important transporters of molecules that drive vascular calcification (VC).…”

Cellular Crosstalk in the Vascular Wall Microenvironment: The Role of Exosomes in Vascular Calcification

“…In recent years, exosomes haves gained increasing attention in the cardiovascular field, largely owing to their ability to transmit biological information between adjacent and distant cells ( 14 ). Previous reviews mostly focused on the underlying mechanisms of exosomes in cardiovascular diseases ( 15 , 16 ), yet ignore the cellular crosstalk among different vessel layers. Recent studies have found that endothelial cells, VSMCs, fibroblast, macrophages, and even circulation blood cells around vascular wall environments respond actively to stimulus and participate in vascular calcification via transdifferentiating, cytokine secretion, extracellular vesicle synthesis, angiogenesis regulation, and hemodynamics.…”