Novel Insights into the Interaction between Enteropathogenic Bacteria, Pyroptosis and IBD.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory disease of the intestinal tract. The complex pathophysiological mechanisms of IBD include genetic susceptibility, environmental factors, and abnormal immune response of the gut microbiota. Gut microbiota forms a metabolic organ that contributes to human health by performing various physiological functions. The development of IBD is closely linked to the imbalance of gut microbiota. In IBD patients, this imbalance is mainly characterized by an increased abundance of pro-inflammatory microorganisms, specifically enteropathogenic bacteria. Pyroptosis is a form of programmed cell death that can be initiated by microbial infection or host factors. It occurs mostly after intracellular infection with bacteria or pathogens. Other than cell death, its primary effect is to release inflammatory mediators that trigger an inflammatory response in the host. Pyroptosis is an important component of innate immunity and can protect against intracellular risk factors via the inflammatory response. However, excessive activation can cause disease. Previous studies of IBD have indicated a complex relationship between gut microbiota and pyroptosis. Some enteropathogenic bacteria can activate the host's immune system to clear infected cells. This inhibits the proliferation of enteropathogenic bacteria by inducing pyroptosis and restoring the balance of gut microbiota. However, the initial inflammatory response and damage to the integrity of the intestinal barrier are crucial factors that elicit the onset of IBD and favor its progression. This review summarizes research on the role of several common enteropathogenic bacteria in the development of IBD through their induction of host cell pyroptosis. A better understanding of the complex interactions between gut microbiota and pyroptosis should lead to the identification of new targets and treatment options for IBD.

The Immunomodulatory effect of exosomes in diabetes: a novel and attractive therapeutic tool in diabetes therapy.

Exosomes carry proteins, metabolites, nucleic acids and lipids from their parent cell of origin. They are derived from cells through exocytosis, are ingested by target cells, and can transfer biological signals between local or distant cells. Therefore, exosomes are often modified in reaction to pathological processes, including infection, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and in response to metabolic perturbations such as obesity and diabetes, all of which involve a significant inflammatory aspect. Here, we discuss how immune cell-derived exosomes origin from neutrophils, T lymphocytes, macrophages impact on the immune reprogramming of diabetes and the associated complications. Besides, exosomes derived from stem cells and their immunomodulatory properties and anti-inflammation effect in diabetes are also reviewed. Moreover, As an important addition to previous reviews, we describes promising directions involving engineered exosomes as well as current challenges of clinical applications in diabetic therapy. Further research on exosomes will explore their potential in translational medicine and provide new avenues for the development of effective clinical diagnostics and therapeutic strategies for immunoregulation of diabetes.

Prevalence of neutropenia in US residents: a population based analysis of NHANES 2011-2018.

AIMS: Neutrophils play a pivotal in immunity and inflammation. We aim to investigate the prevalence of neutropenia in the United States. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2011-2018) were enrolled. Demographic information, hematologic measurements, smoking status of all participants were collected for all participants. All statistical analyses were performed utilizing the NHANES survey weights. Covariate-adjusted linear regression was used to compare hematologic indices in different population grouped by age, sex, ethnicity, and smoking. We also employed multivariate-logistic regression to estimate the weighted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval and predict the neutropenia risk among. RESULTS: 32,102 participants from NHANES survey were included, represented 286.6 million multiracial population in the United States. Black participants had lower mean leukocyte count (mean difference (MD): 0.71 × 109/L; P < 0.001) and lower neutrophil count (MD: 0.83 × 109/L; P < 0.001) compared with white participants after adjusting for age and sex. Furthermore, t a notable observation was the significant downward shift in the distribution curves of leukocyte count and neutrophil count among black participants. Smokers had a higher mean leukocyte count (MD: 1.10 × 109 cells/L; P < 0.001) and a higher mean neutrophil count (MD: 0.75 × 109 cells/L; P < 0.001) comparing with nonsmokers. The estimated prevalence of neutropenia was 1.24% (95% CI: 1.11 - 1.37%), which corresponds to approximately 35.5 million individuals in the United States. The prevalence of neutropenia in black participants was significantly higher than other races. Results of logistic regression analysis showed that black individuals, male individuals, and children younger than 5 years had a higher risk of neutropenia. CONCLUSIONS: Neutropenia is more common in the general population than we thought, especially in black individuals and children. More attention should be paid to neutropenia.

Association of different obesity patterns with hypertension in US male adults: a cross-sectional study.

Obesity is an important risk factor for hypertension. We aimed to investigate the association between different obesity patterns and hypertension risk in a large male population in the US. Male participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2007-2018) were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Social demographic information, lifestyle factors, anthropometric measurements and biochemical measurements were collected. Three obesity patterns were classified according to the body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC), including overweight and general obesity, abdominal obesity, and compound obesity. We adopted multivariate logistic regression to investigate the associations between hypertension and different obesity patterns after adjusting for cofounding factors. Subgroup analysis, stratified by age, smoking, drinking and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), was also conducted to explore the associations between obesity patterns and hypertension risk among different populations. Moreover, the association between WC and hypertension among male individuals was also explored using restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was used to evaluate the discriminatory power of WC for screening hypertension risk. 13,859 male participants from NHANES survey (2007-2018) were enrolled. Comparing with the normal-weight group, the odds ratios (ORs) [95% confidence interval (CI)] for hypertension in individuals with overweight and general obesity, abdominal obesity and compound obesity were 1.41 [1.17-1.70], 1.97 [1.53-2.54] and 3.28 [2.70-3.99], respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that the effect of different obesity patterns on hypertension risk was highly stable among individuals with different clinical conditions. In addition, WC had a positive correlation with the risk of hypertension (OR: 1.43; 95% CI 1.37-1.52; P < 0.001) in fully adjusted multivariate logistic regression model. RCS analysis showed that the association between WC and hypertension risk was in a nonlinear pattern, and WC had a good discriminatory power for hypertension in ROC analysis. Different patterns of obesity have a great impact on the risk of hypertension among male individuals. Increment of WC significantly increased the hypertension risk. More attention should be paid to the prevention of obesity, especially abdominal obesity and compound obesity in male individuals.

Pyroptosis in the Initiation and Progression of Atherosclerosis.

Pyroptosis, a newly discovered form of programmed cell death, is characterized by cell swelling, the protrusion of large bubbles from the plasma membrane and cell lysis. This death pathway is mediated by the pore formation of gasdermin D (GSDMD), which is activated by human caspase-1/caspase-4/caspase-5 (or mouse caspase-1/caspase11), and followed with the releasing of both cell contents and proinflammatory cytokines. Pyroptosis was initially found to function as an innate immune effector mechanism to facilitate host defense against pathogenic microorganisms, and subsequent studies revealed that pyroptosis also plays an eventful role in inflammatory immune diseases and tumor resistance. Recent studies have also shown that pyroptosis is involved in the initiation, the progression and complications of atherosclerosis. Here, we provide an overview of the role of pyroptosis in atherosclerosis by focusing on three important participating cells: ECs, macrophages, and SMCs. In addition, we also summarized drugs and stimuli that regulate the progression of atherosclerosis by influencing cell pyroptosis.

Role of Sortilin and Matrix Vesicles in Nε-Carboxymethyl-Lysine-Induced Diabetic Atherosclerotic Calcification.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To investigate the role of Sortilin and matrix vesicles (MVs) in Nε-Carboxymethyl-lysine (CML)-induced diabetic atherosclerotic calcification (AC). METHODS: At human level, the correlation between Sortilin and CD9 (marker proteins of MVs) in serum MVs and CML in serum was explored by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detection and Pearson correlation analysis. After a diabetic apoE-/- mouse model was constructed, the calcification of aorta and the expressions of related proteins under CML and MVs injection were observed by calcification staining, immunofluorescence staining, and Western blot. MVs levels released by smooth muscle cells (SMCs) under different treatments was detected by nanometer tracking analysis (NTA). After treating SMCs with MVs and Anti-Sortilin, cell calcification was observed by Alizarin red staining. RESULTS: Serological analysis of patients showed that the concentrations of Sortilin and CD9 in serum MVs were positively correlated with the concentration of CML in serum. Animal experiments showed that CML could promote the progression of diabetic AC and the high expression of Sortilin in plaques. Diabetic apoE-/- mouse tail vein injection of CML-induced SMCs-derived MVs obviously aggravated AC. Cell experiment results showed that a high concentration of CML significantly promoted the release of MVs from SMCs. MVs from this source could markedly worsen cell calcification, while the administration of GW4869 (a widely used extracellular vesicles biogenesis inhibitor) significantly reduced cell calcification. Finally, treatment of high concentrations of CML could also promote the recruitment of Sortilin to MVs, and administration of Anti-Sortilin could markedly reduce cell calcification caused by MVs. CONCLUSION: We proved that CML not only affects the release of MVs from SMCs but also affects the recruitment of Sortilin to MVs, thereby promoting diabetic AC. This discovery may provide a new strategy for targeted prevention of vascular calcification in diabetes.

CML/RAGE Signal Bridges a Common Pathogenesis Between Atherosclerosis and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a common chronic disease in the world. NAFLD is not only a simple intrahepatic lesion, but also affects the occurrence of a variety of extrahepatic complications. In particular, cardiovascular complications are particularly serious, which is the main cause of death in patients with NAFLD. To study the relationship between NAFLD and AS may be a new way to improve the quality of life in patients with NAFLD. As we all known, inflammatory response plays an important role in the occurrence and development of NAFLD and AS. In this study, we found that the accumulation of Nε-carboxymethyllysine (CML) in the liver leads to hepatic steatosis. CML can induce the expression of interleukin (IL-1ß), interleukin (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), C-reactionprotein (CRP) by binding with advanced glycosylation end-product receptor (RAGE) and accelerate the development of AS. After silencing RAGE expression, the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines was inhibited and liver and aorta pathological changes were relieved. In conclusion, CML/RAGE signal promotes the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and atherosclerosis. We hope to provide new ideas for the study of liver vascular dialogue in multi organ communication.

Advanced Glycation End Products Induce Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell-Derived Foam Cell Formation and Transdifferentiate to a Macrophage-Like State.

BACKGROUND: Advanced glycation end products play an important role in diabetic atherosclerosis. The effects of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) on vascular smooth muscle cell- (VSMC-) derived foam cell formation and phenotypic transformation are unknown. METHODS: Serological and histological samples were obtained from diabetic amputation patients and accident amputation patients from the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University. CD68/Actin Alpha 2 (ACTA2) coimmunofluorescence sections were used to quantify the number of VSMCs with macrophage-like phenotypes. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of the receptor of advanced glycation end products in vascular samples. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to evaluate the level of serum Nε-carboxymethyl-lysine (CML). In vitro oil red O staining was used to examine lipid accumulation in VSMCs stimulated by CML. The expression of VSMCs and macrophage markers was measured by western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR. Furthermore, changes in VSMC migration and secretion were detected by the Transwell assay and ELISA. RESULTS: In the arterial plaque sections of diabetic patients, VSMCs transformed to a macrophage-like phenotype. The serum CML and RAGE levels in the plaques were significantly higher in the diabetes group than those in the healthy control group and were significantly related to the number of macrophage-like VSMCs. CML stimulation promoted intracellular lipid accumulation. However, CML stimulation decreased the expression of VSMC markers and increased the expression of macrophage phenotype markers. Finally, CML promoted smooth muscle cell migration and the secretion of proinflammatory-related factors. CONCLUSIONS: CML induces VSMC-derived foam cell formation, and VSMCs transdifferentiate to a macrophage-like state, which may be mediated by the activation of RAGE.

Nε-Carboxymethyl-Lysine Negatively Regulates Foam Cell Migration via the Vav1/Rac1 Pathway.

BACKGROUND: Macrophage-derived foam cells play a central role in atherosclerosis, and their ultimate fate includes apoptosis, promotion of vascular inflammation, or migration to other tissues. Nε-Carboxymethyl-lysine (CML), the key active component of advanced glycation end products, induced foam cell formation and apoptosis. Previous studies have shown that the Vav1/Rac1 pathway affects the macrophage cytoskeleton and cell migration, but its role in the pathogenesis of diabetic atherosclerosis is unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, we used anterior tibiofibular vascular samples from diabetic foot amputation patients and accident amputation patients, and histological and cytological tests were performed using a diabetic ApoE-/- mouse model and primary peritoneal macrophages, respectively. The results showed that the atherosclerotic plaques of diabetic foot amputation patients and diabetic ApoE-/- mice were larger than those of the control group. Inhibition of the Vav1/Rac1 pathway reduced vascular plaques and promoted the migration of macrophages to lymph nodes. Transwell and wound healing assays showed that the migratory ability of macrophage-derived foam cells was inhibited by CML. Cytoskeletal staining showed that advanced glycation end products inhibited the formation of lamellipodia in foam cells, and inhibition of the Vav1/Rac1 pathway restored the formation of lamellipodia. CONCLUSION: CML inhibits the migration of foam cells from blood vessels via the Vav1/Rac1 pathway, and this process affects the formation of lamellipodia.

Macrophage galectin-3 enhances intimal translocation of vascular calcification in diabetes mellitus.

The clinical risks and prognosis of diabetic vascular intimal calcification (VIC) and medial calcification (VMC) are different. This study aims to investigate the mechanism of VIC/VMC translocation. Anterior tibial arteries were collected from patients with diabetic foot amputation. The patients were then divided into VIC and VMC groups. There were plaques in all anterior tibial arteries, while the enrichment of galectin-3 in arterial plaques in the VIC group was significantly higher than that in the VMC group. Furthermore, a macrophage/vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) coculture system was constructed. VSMC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) was labeled with fluorescent probe. After macrophages were pretreated with recombinant galectin-3 protein, the migration of VSMC-derived EVs and VSMC-derived calcification was more pronounced. And anti-galectin-3 antibody can inhibit this process of EVs and calcification translocation. Then, lentivirus (LV)-treated bone marrow cells (BMCs) were transplanted into apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice, and a diabetic atherosclerosis mouse model was constructed. After 15 wk of high-fat diet, ApoE-/- mice transplanted with LV-shgalectin-3 BMCs exhibited medial calcification and a concentrated distribution of EVs in the media. In conclusion, upregulation of galectin-3 in macrophages promotes the migration of VSMC-derived EVs to the intima and induces diabetic vascular intimal calcification.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The clinical risk and prognosis of vascular intimal and medial calcification are different. Macrophage galectin-3 regulates the migration of vascular smooth muscle cell-derived extracellular vesicles and mediates diabetic vascular intimal/medial calcification translocation. This study may provide insights into the early intervention in diabetic vascular calcification.

Role of NFATc1 in the Bone-Vascular Axis Calcification Paradox.

Nuclear factor of activated T cell cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1), a crucial member of the transcription factor NFAT family, is indispensable in the immune system and the morphogenesis of cardiac valves and septa and is also vital in osteoclasts and atherosclerotic calcification. Currently, osteoporosis and vascular diseases are severely hazardous to health and quality of life, and the 2 conditions always coincide with each other. The bone-vascular axis calcification paradox serves as a bridge between bone and vascular diseases, linking these 2 seemingly separate diseases, and the receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK)/receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL)/osteoprotegerin (OPG) system may be the common mechanism of the bone-vascular axis calcification paradox. NFATc1 provides a new therapeutic target for bone and vascular diseases. However, the specific mechanism by which NFATc1 acts on the bone-vascular axis calcification paradox, whether NFATc1 is related to the RANK/RANKL/OPG system, and how to use NFATc1 as a therapeutic target to avoid its side effects in other systems requires further study.

Mechanisms of Matrix Vesicles Mediating Calcification Transition in Diabetic Plaque.

Vascular calcification is a key character of advanced plaque in diabetic atherosclerosis. Microcalcification induces plaque rupture, whereas macrocalcification contributes to plaque stability. However, there is still no clear explanation for the formation and transition of these two types of calcification. Based on existing work and the latest international progress, this article provides a brief review of four aspects: calcification transition in plaque; matrix vesicle-mediated calcification transition in plaque; regulation mechanism of matrix vesicle-mediated calcification transition in diabetic plaque; and proposal of a new hypothesis, which may offer a new perspective on the study of the mechanism of calcification transition in plaque.

Role of Matrix Vesicles in Bone-Vascular Cross-Talk.

Matrix mineralization can be divided into physiological mineralization and pathological mineralization. There is a consensus among existing studies that matrix vesicles (MVs) are the starting sites of bone mineralization, and each component of MVs serves a certain function in mineralization. In addition, ectopic MVs pathologically promote undesired calcification, the primary focus of which is the promotion of vascular calcification. However, the specific mechanisms of the actions of MVs in bone-vascular axis cross-talk have not been fully elucidated. This review summarizes the latest research in this field and explores the roles of MVs in the bone-vascular axis with the aim of generating new ideas for the prevention and treatment of vascular calcification and bone metabolic disease.

Nε-carboxymethyl-lysine-induced PI3K/Akt signaling inhibition promotes foam cell apoptosis and atherosclerosis progression.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are closely associated with diabetic macrovascular complications. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Nε-Carboxymethyl-Lysine (the key active component of AGEs) in diabetic atherosclerosis on foam cell apoptosis and to explore the underlying mechanisms. Tissue sections were collected from 12 Type 2 diabetic patients and 4 control patients who underwent amputation surgery following a car accident. Peritoneal injection of streptozotocin in ApoE-/- mice was used to generate a diabetic model in vivo, and Raw 264.7 cells treated with CML and 740Y-P (a PI3K/AKT signaling agonist) were used to explore the effect of PI3K/AKT signaling in CML-induced foam cell apoptosis in vitro. The anterior tibial section of diabetic amputees contained a thinner fiber cap, higher lipid content, and more apoptotic cells than were found in control patients. in vitro studies using Raw 264.7 cell-derived foam cells and in vivo studies using diabetic ApoE-/- mice showed that CML levels dose-dependently reduced cell vitality, induced foam cell apoptosis and regulated apoptosis related protein. Furthermore, CML significantly decreased the phosphorylation of PI3K/AKT signaling, and restoration of PI3K/AKT signaling by 740Y-P decreased the CML-induced foam cell apoptosis. In conclusion, our results showed CML induced foam cell apoptosis in diabetic atherosclerosis through inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway.

RAGE/galectin-3 yields intraplaque calcification transformation via sortilin.

AIMS: Macrocalcification and microcalcification present different clinical risks, but the regulatory of their formation was unclear. Therefore, this study explored the underlying mechanisms of macrocalcification and microcalcification in diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Anterior tibial arteries of amputated diabetic feet were collected. According to the calcium content, patients were divided into less-calcification group and more-calcification group. And calcification morphology in plaques was observed. For further study, an in vivo mouse diabetic atherosclerosis model and an in vitro primary mouse aortic smooth muscle cell model were established. After the receptors for AGEs (RAGE) or galectin-3 were silenced, calcified nodule sizes and sortilin expression were determined. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed to detect the aggregation of matrix vesicles with the inhibition or promotion of sortilin. RESULTS: Both macro- and microcalcification were found in human anterior tibial artery plaques. Macrocalcification formed after the silencing of RAGE, and microcalcification formed after the silencing of galectin-3. In the process of RAGE- or galcetin-3-induced calcification, sortilin played an important role downstream. SEM showed that sortilin promoted the aggregation of MVs in the early stage of calcification and formed larger calcified nodules. CONCLUSION: RAGE downregulated sortilin and then transmitted microcalcification signals, whereas galectin-3 upregulated sortilin, which accelerated the aggregation of MVs in the early stage of calcification and mediated the formation of macrocalcifications, These data illustrate the progression of two calcification types and suggest sortilin as a potential target for early intervention of calcification and as an effective biomarker for the assessment of long-term clinical risk and prognosis.

Role of AGEs in the progression and regression of atherosclerotic plaques.

The formation of advanced glycation end-products(AGEs) is an important cause of metabolic memory in diabetic patients and a key factor in the formation of atherosclerosis(AS) plaques in patients with diabetes mellitus. Related studies showed that AGEs could disrupt hemodynamic steady-state and destroy vascular wall integrity through the endothelial barrier damage, foam cell(FC) formation, apoptosis, calcium deposition and other aspects. At the same time, AGEs could initiate oxidative stress and inflammatory response cascade via receptor-depended and non-receptor-dependent pathways, promoting plaques to develop from a steady state to a vulnerable state and eventually tend to rupture and thrombosis. Numerous studies have confirmed that these pathological processes mentioned above could lead to acute coronary heart disease(CHD) and other acute cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. However, the specific role of AGEs in the progression and regression of AS plaques has not yet been fully elucidated. In this paper, the formation, source, metabolism, physical and chemical properties of AGEs and their role in the migration of FCs and plaque calcification are briefly described, we hope to provide new ideas for the researchers that struggling in this field.

CML/CD36 accelerates atherosclerotic progression via inhibiting foam cell migration.

Among the various complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis causes the highest disability and morbidity. A multitude of macrophage-derived foam cells are retained in atherosclerotic plaques resulting not only from recruitment of monocytes into lesions but also from a reduced rate of macrophage migration from lesions. Nε-carboxymethyl-Lysine (CML), an advanced glycation end product, is responsible for most complications of diabetes. This study was designed to investigate the mechanism of CML/CD36 accelerating atherosclerotic progression via inhibiting foam cell migration. In vivo study and in vitro study were performed. For the in vivo investigation, CML/CD36 accelerated atherosclerotic progression via promoting the accumulation of macrophage-derived foam cells in aorta and inhibited macrophage-derived foam cells in aorta migrating to the para-aorta lymph node of diabetic apoE-/- mice. For the in vitro investigation, CML/CD36 inhibited RAW264.7-derived foam cell migration through NOX-derived ROS, FAK phosphorylation, Arp2/3 complex activation and F-actin polymerization. Thus, we concluded that CML/CD36 inhibited foam cells of plaque migrating to para-aorta lymph nodes, accelerating atherosclerotic progression. The corresponding mechanism may be via free cholesterol, ROS generation, p-FAK, Arp2/3, F-actin polymerization.

Ghrelin attenuates vascular calcification in diabetic patients with amputation.

Vascular calcification is established to be a critical factor in diabetes mellitus, which causes cardiovascular and amputation complication of diabetic patients. OPG/RANKL/RANK axis serves as a regulatory role in vascular calcification. Ghrelin, an endogenous ligand of growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR), has been reported to exhibit potent cardiovascular protective effects. However, the role of ghrelin in the regulation of diabetic vascular calcification is still elusive. Here, we reported the role of ghrelin and its relationship with OPG/RANKL/RANK system in patients with diabetic foot amputation. In vivo and in vitro investigations were performed. Sixty type 2 diabetic patients with foot amputation were enrolled in vivo investigation, and they were divided into three groups through Doppler ultrasound: mild stenosis group (n=20), moderate stenosis group (n=20), and severe stenosis/occlusion group (n=20). Morphological analysis results showed diffused calcium depositions in the anterior tibial artery of diabetic amputees. Compared with the mild and moderate stenosis group, the severe stenosis/occlusion group had more spotty calcium depositions in atherosclerotic plaques. Western blot analysis indicated the expressions of osteoprotegerin (OPG) and ghrelin were downregulated, while the expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL) was upregulated with the vascular stenosis aggravation. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a negative correlation between calcium content and ghrelin levels (r=-0.58, P<0.001), as well as the ghrelin levels and sRANKL levels (r=-0.57, P<0.001). Meanwhile, OPG levels were positively correlated with ghrelin levels (r=0.63, P<0.001). From in vitro investigation, we found that the high-glucose (HG), high-lipid (HL), and ß-glycerophosphate (ß-GP) considerably increased the total calcium content, ALP activity, and expression of osteogenic markers in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Ghrelin blunted calcification in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, ghrelin upregulated OPG expression and downregulated RANKL expression in VSMC calcification when anti-OPG antibody and RANKL were performed. Collectively, we therefore conclude serum ghrelin level may be a predictor of diabetic vascular calcification. The possible mechanism may be related with OPG/RANKL signal.