Premature death from cardiovascular disease is especially high in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Vascular calcification is a potent risk factor for developing cardiac-related morbidity and mortality and is especially prominent within the CKD population. Deficiencies in serum levels of fetuin-A as well as inadequate production of matrix Gla protein (MGP) correlate inversely with the extent of vascular calcification and time spent on dialysis. Fetuin-A is a well-known systematic regulator of bone metabolism and MGP is a local antagonist of bone forming proteins. To meet the clinical need of at-risk patients prone to cardiac-related mortality. We propose a targeted protein therapy to treat arteriosclerotic arteries. The focus of this thesis was to characterize the binding interactions of fetuin-A with calcium mineral in a simulated body fluid and to study the in vitro effects of a fetuin vitamin K2 co-therapy on the prevention of calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:MSSTATE/oai:scholarsjunction.msstate.edu:td-4667 |
| Date | 14 August 2015 |
| Creators | Cunningham, Janice L |
| Publisher | Scholars Junction |
| Source Sets | Mississippi State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Theses and Dissertations |
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