Disruption of the aortic elastic lamina and medial calcification share genetic determinants in mice.

BACKGROUND: Disruption of the elastic lamina, as an early indicator of aneurysm formation, and vascular calcification frequently occur together in atherosclerotic lesions of humans. METHODS AND RESULTS: We now report evidence of shared genetic basis for disruption of the elastic lamina (medial disruption) and medial calcification in an F(2) mouse intercross between C57BL/6J and C3H/HeJ on a hyperlipidemic apolipoprotein E (ApoE(-/-)) null BACKGROUND: gene, known to mediate myocardial calcification. Using transgenic complementation, we show that Abcc6 also contributes to aortic medial calcification. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that calcification, though possibly contributory, does not always lead to medial disruption and that in addition to aneurysm formation, medial disruption may be the precursor to calcification.