Figure 2.

The beneficial effects of celastrol against valvular and vascular calcification. Celastrol, as a natural potent NOX2 inhibitor, alleviates calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) by blocking glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3 β)/β-catenin pathway in aortic valve interstitial cells (AVICs). Likewise, celastrol reduces reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and oxidative stress by upregulating haem oxygenase-1 (HMOX-1) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Celastrol also has the capacity to alleviate both valvular and vascular calcification via inhibition of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2)-Smad1/5 and Wnt/β-catenin signalling. Green arrow indicates “increase”, red arrows indicate “decrease”.