Effect of estrogen on regression of vascular calcification in rats / 中华肾脏病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effect of estrogen on regression of vascular calcification in rats induced by vitamin D3 plus nicotine.Methods Ninety-six female SD rats were divided randomly into control group (n=24) and calcification group (n=72).Vascular calcification of 72 rats was induced by vitamin D3 and nicotine (VDN).On the day 1,the VDN group rats were injected with vitamin D3(300 000 U/kg,i.m),and were intragastric administrated with nicotine (25 mg/kg),after 9 hours,another dosage of nicotine was given again.After 4 weeks,the VDN group rats were subdivided randomly into 4 groupsVDN group(n=16),Sham operation group (n=16),ovariotomy group (n=16),estrogen group(after ovariotomy,17β-estrogen was subcutaneously injected,50 μg· kg-1· d-1,n=16).Results After 4 weeks,the VDN group showed obvious vascular calcification,and calcium content of the vessel wall was significantly higher than that of control group (P＜0.01).Extensive calcification was witnessed on the aortic tunica media of the VDN group.After 12 and 8 weeks,the calcium content of the vessel wall in each subdivided groups was significantly lower than that at 4 weeks point(P＜0.01),and the lowest calcinm content was in estrogen group,meanwhile the reduction of previously accumulated arterial calcium precipitate in each group was different.Conclusions It is a reversible process that vascular calcification induced by vitamin D plus nicotine in rats.Estrogen can promote the regression of vascular calcification.