Abstract
Pathologic vascular calcification is a significant reason for mortality and morbidity in patients who suffer from end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Resveratrol, a scavenger for many free radicals, is a crucial compound for biomedicine. However, the role and mechanism of resveratrol in vascular calcification is still unknown. In this study, to mimic vascular calcification in ESRD, we used β-glyceophosphate to stimulate the rat vascular smooth muscle cells (RASMCs). We investigate the therapeutic role of resveratrol pretreatment in vascular calcification. In the current in vitro study, we observe the effects of resveratrol on improving intracellular calcium deposition and protecting against mitochondria dysfunction in calcific RASMCs. Resveratrol decreased the mRNA level of fibroblast growth factor-23, then increased the mRNA level of klotho and the nuclear transcription factor NF-E2-related factor 2 (nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 [Nrf2]) in RASMCs after calcification. Further, resveratrol activated the expression of sirtuin-1 and Nrf2, and inhibited the expression of osteopontin, runt-related transcription factor 2, and heme oxygenase-1. Our study shows that resveratrol could ameliorate oxidative injury of RASMCs by preventing vascular calcification-induced calcium deposition and mitochondria dysfunction through involving sirtuin-1 and Nrf2. These results might indicate a novel role for resveratrol in resistance to oxidative stress for ESRD patients suffering from vascular calcification.