Klotho Promotes Autophagy to Slow Vascular Calcification

Klotho is one of the few robustly determined longevity genes capable of altering life span in both directions in mice. A reduced expression of klotho shortens life span, while increased klotho levels lengthen life. Klotho has been shown to improve cognitive function, but investigation to date has suggested that it primarily functions in the kidney, and that kidney function mediates effects elsewhere in the body. Today's open access paper is focused instead on the relationship between klotho and vascular calcification. Prior research on this topic has focused on the relationship between klotho and FGF23, but here the authors are interested in how klotho affects the cellular maintenance processes of autophagy. Efficiency and amount of autophagy may determine FGF23 expression; as is always the case, biochemistry is a web of connections. Autophagy has a complex relationship with calcification, and calcification itself is a complex phenomenon. In essence cells in the vasculature change to adopt characteristics of osteoblasts, responsible for generating bone tissue. This is the result of changes in the signaling environment, with many contributing causes, including chronic inflammation. Greater autophagy can in principle slow calcification by amending cell behavior to reduce bone-formation activities, and correlations between greater autophagy and lesser calcification are observed. Yet there are mechanisms by which autophagy and its outcomes might accelerate processes...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs