Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)


Print Feedback Export to File
7328920 
Journal Article 
Cross-Linked Elastin-like Polypeptide Membranes as a Model for Medial Arterial Calcification 
Gourgas, O; Muiznieks, LD; Bello, DG; Nanci, A; Sharpe, S; Cerruti, M 
2019 
Yes 
Biomacromolecules
ISSN: 1525-7797 
20 
7 
2625-2636 
English 
31244014 
WOS:000474812200016 
Calcium phosphate minerals deposit on the elastin-rich medial layers of arteries in the majority of seniors, diabetic, and chronic kidney disease patients, causing severe cardiovascular complications. There is no cure for medial calcification, and the mechanism of mineral formation on elastin layers is unknown. Here we propose cross-linked elastin-like polypeptide membranes as models to study medial calcification. Calcium phosphates deposit first on fibers and filaments and then spread to globular structures present in the membranes. Mineral phase evolution analyzed by near-edge X-ray spectroscopy matches that previously observed in a mouse model of medial calcification, showing that this simple system captures some of the key in vivo findings. This work shows how minerals form and evolve upon nucleation on elastin and provides an in vitro model that can be tuned to study hypotheses related to arterial calcification mechanisms and test drugs to stop or revert mineralization.