Science can not explain exactly how certain diseases and injuries trigger calcification - the pathological process of transforming living cells into "bone".

A new study answers this question, and also offers an anti-calcification medication - etidronate.

Normally, tissues outside the bones should not be subjected to calcification.

However, as you age, and also with diabetes, chronic kidney disease and other diseases in various parts of the body (including arteries), deposits of calcium salts can form.

First of all, the blood vessels, heart and kidneys undergo mineralization. This affects their work. Thus, with calcification of the heart, rhythm disturbances are possible, including blockade.

Although the mineralization of tissues is observed in a variety of diseases and conditions, the mechanisms of this phenomenon have so far not been sufficiently studied. Employees of the Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research Eli and Edith Brod (UCLA, California) shed light on the mysterious calcification of the heart.

"This process is not adequately covered in the literature and is rarely featured in medical reports. We asked ourselves: which cells trigger calcification? Given the close connection with tissue damage and fibrosis, fibroblasts turned out to be the most likely candidates, "Arjun Deb, project manager, explains the main idea.

Using genetically modified cells, scientists observed the transformation of fibroblasts into completely new cells that very much resemble osteoblasts - bone cells. This occurred in the heart of rodents in response to mechanical damage to the heart tissue.

Moreover, if you take activated fibroblasts from a damaged heart and implant them under the skin of healthy mice, in a new place they also give rise to calcifications!.

A solution to the problem can be a small molecule called ENPP1 (ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase / phosphodiesterase-1). It is an enzyme that is actively released by cardiac fibroblasts in case of damage. It was the ENPP1 molecule that was the primary target of Californian scientists.

Introduction to mice before the injury of the drug etidronate was successful: the process of mineralization in all animals was slowed by more than 50% by suppressing the enzyme ENPP1.

Let us recall that etidronate is a representative of the group of bisphosphonates. Usually prescribed for Paget's disease, osteoporosis and hypercalcemia of various origin.

"As this area of ??

physiology is poorly understood, our research provides a solid starting point for future work. Now we want to understand whether the ENPP1-mediated mechanism is unified, regardless of the causes of calcification. If so, the creation of drugs will be simplified, "- said Deb.

Sources say that work is already underway to find new drugs against calcification of cardiac tissue. Etidronate is effective only if the treatment is started before the trauma. In the future, this drug does not work.

medbe. en.