Acta clinica Croatica, Vol. 65. No. 1, 2026.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.20471/acc.2026.65.01.09
Klotho Expression and Regulation in the Early Pathogenic Development of Vascular Calcification in Uremic Rats
Davor Primc
; Department of Vascular Surgery, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia; Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Dalibor Divković
; Department of Surgery, Urology, Orthopedics and Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia; Department of Surgery, University Hospital Centre Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Miljenko Kovačević
; Department of Vascular Surgery, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Sanja Pećanić
; Department of Vascular Surgery, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Željko Rotim†
; Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Vedran Ivković
; Department of Surgery, University Hospital Centre Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Josip Španjol
orcid.org/0000-0002-5551-8128
; Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
*
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to analyze calcification and Klotho expression and
regulation in the rat abdominal aorta. The basic procedures were subtotal (5/6)
nephrectomy (Nx) and the division of Wistar rats into three groups (group at
week 20 after a sham-operation – control, group at week 10 after subtotal Nx,
and group at week 20 after subtotal Nx), von Kossa calcification staining and
analyses of Klotho expression in freshly extracted or in vitro-stimulated abdominal
aortas with inorganic phosphate (Pi), Klotho protein and Pi + Klotho protein
for 48 hours. Main findings: Aorta calcification was higher at week 20 than at
week 10 after subtotal Nx (P = 0.004). Klotho protein and messenger (m)RNA decreased
at week 10 and week 20 after subtotal Nx when compared with controls
(P = 0.01). Pi reduced Klotho expression (protein and mRNA) in the aortic wall
of sham-operated rats when compared with the aortas stimulated with Klotho
protein (P = 0.01). The addition of exogenous Klotho abrogated the Pi-induced
reduction of Klotho in the aortic wall. Principal conclusions: Calcification and
Klotho expression in the rat abdominal aortic wall are inversely proportional. Pi
reduces the expression of Klotho and possibly promotes calcification in the rat
abdominal aorta.
Keywords
Abdominal aorta; Calcification; Klotho; Nephrectomy; Phosphate
Hrčak ID:
345836
URI
Publication date:
27.3.2026.
Visits: 235 *