Browsing by Author "Chen, Xianming"

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    A comparison of calcium to zoledronic acid for improvement of cortical bone in an animal model of CKD
    (Wiley, 2014-04) Moe, Sharon M.; Chen, Neal X.; Newman, Christopher L.; Gattone II, Vincent H.; Organ, Jason M.; Chen, Xianming; Allen, Matthew R.; Department of Medicine, IU School of Medicine
    Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have increased risk of fractures, yet the optimal treatment is unknown. In secondary analyses of large randomized trials, bisphosphonates have been shown to improve bone mineral density and reduce fractures. However, bisphosphonates are currently not recommended in patients with advanced kidney disease due to concern about oversuppressing bone remodeling, which may increase the risk of developing arterial calcification. In the present study we used a naturally occurring rat model of CKD with secondary hyperparathyroidism, the Cy/+ rat, and compared the efficacy of treatment with zoledronic acid, calcium given in water to simulate a phosphate binder, and the combination of calcium and zoledronic acid. Animals were treated beginning at 25 weeks of age (approximately 30% of normal renal function) and followed for 10 weeks. The results demonstrate that both zoledronic acid and calcium improved bone volume by micro-computed tomography (µCT) and both equally suppressed the mineral apposition rate, bone formation rate, and mineralizing surface of trabecular bone. In contrast, only calcium treatment with or without zoledronic acid improved cortical porosity and cortical biomechanical properties (ultimate load and stiffness) and lowered parathyroid hormone (PTH). However, only calcium treatment led to the adverse effects of increased arterial calcification and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). These results suggest zoledronic acid may improve trabecular bone volume in CKD in the presence of secondary hyperparathyroidism, but does not benefit extraskeletal calcification or cortical biomechanical properties. Calcium effectively reduces PTH and benefits both cortical and trabecular bone yet increases the degree of extra skeletal calcification.
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    A comparison of calcium to zoledronic acid for improvement of cortical bone in an animal model of CKD
    (Published article can be found at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jbmr.2089/abstract doi: 10.1002/jbmr.2089, 2013-09-03) Moe, Sharon M.; Chen, Neal X.; Newman, Christopher L.; Gattone II, Vincent H.; Organ, Jason M.; Chen, Xianming; Allen, Matthew R.
    Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have increased risk of fractures, yet the optimal treatment is unknown. In secondary analyses of large randomized trials, bisphosphonates have been shown to improve bone mineral density and reduce fractures. However, bisphosphonates are currently not recommended in patients with advanced kidney disease due to concern about over-suppressing bone remodeling, which may increase the risk of developing arterial calcification. In the present study we used a naturally occurring rat model of CKD with secondary hyperparathyroidism, the Cy/+ rat, and compared the efficacy of treatment with zoledronic acid, calcium given in water to simulate a phosphate binder, and the combination of calcium and zoledronic acid. Animals were treated beginning at 25 weeks of age (approximately 30% of normal renal function) and followed for ten weeks. The results demonstrate that both zoledronic acid and calcium improved bone volume by microCT and both equally suppressed mineral apposition rate, bone formation rate, and mineralizing surface of trabecular bone. In contrast, only calcium treatment with or without zoledronic acid improved cortical porosity and cortical biomechanical properties (ultimate load and stiffness) and lowered parathyroid hormone (PTH). However, only calcium treatment led to the adverse effects of increased arterial calcification and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). These results suggest zoledronic acid may improve trabecular bone volume in CKD in the presence of secondary hyperparathyroidism, but does not benefit extraskeletal calcification or cortical biomechanical properties. Calcium effectively reduces PTH and benefits both cortical and trabecular bone yet increases the degree of extra skeletal calcification.
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    Decreased microRNA is involved in the vascular remodeling abnormalities in chronic kidney disease (CKD)
    (2013-05-22) Chen, Neal X.; Kiattisunthorn, Kraiwiporn; O'Neill, Kalisha D.; Chen, Xianming; Moorthi, Ranjani N.; Gattone II, Vincent H.; Allen, Matthew R.; Moe, Sharon M.
    Patients with CKD have abnormal vascular remodeling that is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) control mRNA expression intracellularly and are secreted into the circulation; three miRNAs (miR-125b, miR-145 and miR-155) are known to alter vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation and differentiation. We measured these vascular miRNAs in blood from 90 patients with CKD and found decreased circulating levels with progressive loss of eGFR by multivariate analyses. Expression of these vascular miRNAs miR-125b, miR-145, and miR-155 was decreased in the thoracic aorta in CKD rats compared to normal rats, with concordant changes in target genes of RUNX2, angiotensin II type I receptor (AT1R), and myocardin. Furthermore, the expression of miR-155 was negatively correlated with the quantity of calcification in the aorta, a process known to be preceded by vascular de-differentiation in these animals. We then examined the mechanisms of miRNA regulation in primary VSMC and found decreased expression of miR-125b, 145, and 155 in VSMC from rats with CKD compared to normal littermates but no alteration in DROSHA or DICER, indicating that the low levels of expression is not due to altered intracellular processing. Finally, overexpression of miR-155 in VSMC from CKD rats inhibited AT1R expression and decreased cellular proliferation supporting a direct effect of miR-155 on VSMC. In conclusion, we have found ex vivo and in vitro evidence for decreased expression of these vascular miRNA in CKD, suggesting that alterations in miRNAs may lead to the synthetic state of VSMC found in CKD. The decreased levels in the circulation may reflect decreased vascular release but more studies are needed to confirm this relationship.
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    RhoA/Rho kinase (ROCK) alters fetuin-A uptake and regulates calcification in bovine vascular smooth muscle cells (BVSMC)
    (2010-09) Chen, Neal X; Chen, Xianming; O'Neill, Kalisha D; Atkinson, Simon J; Moe, Sharon M
    RhoA/Rho kinases (ROCK) play a critical role in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) actin cytoskeleton organization, differentiation, and function and are implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. We have previously determined that an important step in the regulation of calcification is fetuin-A endocytosis, a process that is dependent on changes in the cytoskeleton, which, in turn, is known to be affected by the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway. In the present study, bovine VSMC (BVSMC) were treated with the ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 or transfected with ROCK small interfering (si) RNA to knock down ROCK expression. Both conditions resulted in reduced actin stress fibers and increased Cy5-labeled fetuin-A uptake. Inhibition of ROCK by Y-27632 or siRNA also significantly increased BVSMC alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and calcification of BVSMC and rat aorta organ cultures. Cells were then incubated in calcification media in the presence or absence of Y-27632 and matrix vesicles (MV) isolated by collagenase digestion. These MV, isolated from BVSMC incubated with Y-27632, had increased ALP activity and increased ability of MV to subsequently calcify collagen by 66%. In contrast, activation of RhoA, which is upstream of ROCK, by transfecting plasmids encoding the dominant active Rho GTPase mutant (Rho-L63) led to decreased fetuin-A uptake and reduced calcification in BVSMC. These results demonstrate that the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway is an important negative regulator of vascular calcification.