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Chemerin inhibits vascular calcification through ChemR23 and is associated with lower coronary calcium in chronic kidney disease
Author(s) -
Carracedo M.,
Witasp A.,
Qureshi A. R.,
LagunaFernandez A.,
Brismar T.,
Stenvinkel P.,
Bäck M.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.625
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1365-2796
pISSN - 0954-6820
DOI - 10.1111/joim.12940
Subject(s) - chemerin , medicine , endocrinology , kidney disease , renal function , adipokine , obesity , insulin resistance
Background Chemerin is an adipokine that signals through the G protein‐coupled receptor ChemR23 and is associated with inflammation, glucose homeostasis, lipid metabolism and renal function, all of which strongly influence cardiovascular risk. However, elevated chemerin provides a survival advantage in patients with chronic kidney disease ( CKD ), but how this relates to the cardiovascular phenotype is unknown. Objectives The aim of the present study was to establish the association of chemerin with coronary calcification and to determine the effects of chemerin signalling, through ChemR23, in vascular smooth muscle cell ( VSMC ) calcification. Methods Plasma chemerin was measured in 113 patients with CKD and 50 healthy controls. All patients underwent computed tomography to determine coronary artery calcium ( CAC ) score. VSMC s were isolated from wild‐type and ChemR23 knock‐out mice and treated with chemerin. Results Multivariate analyses established creatinine, cholesterol, body mass index and tumour necrosis factor as significant confounders for circulating chemerin levels. Despite these positive associations with renal function, cardiometabolic risk factors and inflammation, chemerin was inversely associated with CAC both in an age‐ and sex‐adjusted analysis and in a multivariate analysis adjusting for the aforementioned confounders. In addition, circulating chemerin levels were associated with the calcification inhibitors matrix gla protein ( MGP ) and fetuin‐A. Finally, chemerin significantly reduced phosphate‐induced calcification and increased MGP expression in VSMC s, whereas chemerin was devoid of these effects in VSMC s lacking ChemR23. Conclusion In conclusion, these results suggest that chemerin signalling through ChemR23 in VSMC s protects against vascular calcification in CKD .