Figure 1.

Effects of CKD and VDR activators on aortic Ca levels. High-fat feeding of LDLR−/− mice (sham high fat) increased aortic calcification. CKD induced at 12 wk of age stimulated aortic calcification in the group killed at 28 wk of age (untreated). Compared with the untreated group, both calcitriol 20 ng/kg intraperitoneally three times per week and paricalcitol 100 ng/kg intraperitoneally three times per week administered from 22 to 28 wk of age decreased aortic Ca accumulation. The levels of aortic Ca were not different from the baseline CKD group studied at 22 wk, indicating reduction in aortic Ca accumulation. Paricalcitol, 400 ng/kg intraperitoneally three times per week increased aortic Ca accumulation compared with the untreated group.