TLR2 Promotes Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Chondrogenic Differentiation and Consequent Calcification Via the Concerted Actions of Osteoprotegerin Suppression and IL-6-Mediated RANKL Induction.

Conclusions- We concluded that on ligand binding, TLR2 activates p38 and ERK1/2 signaling to selectively modulate the upregulation of IL-6-mediated RANKL and downregulation of OPG. These signaling pathways act in concert to induce chondrogenic transdifferentiation of VSMCs, which in turn leads to vascular calcification during the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. PMID: 30626205 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30626205?dopt=Abstract

Source: Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology - January 10, 2019 Category: Cardiology Authors: Lee GL, Yeh CC, Wu JY, Lin HC, Wang YF, Kuo YY, Hsieh YT, Hsu YJ, Kuo CC Tags: Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol Source Type: research