Protein helped limit calcium buildup in mouse arteries
Experiments in 18-month-old mice found faster atherosclerosis and arterial calcium buildup when the gene-regulating protein Rev-erb was absent.
22 mice
Limit: Only 10 mice per group were compared for arterial calcium buildup
Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
In an experiment in 18-month-old mice prone to atherosclerosis—the buildup of fatty plaques in arteries—animals lacking the gene-regulating protein Rev-erb developed faster disease and artery calcification. Researchers compared 10 mice lacking Rev-erb with 10 that retained it. They examined calcium deposits and signs of bone-forming activity at the base of the aorta, the body's main artery.
The mice lacking Rev-erb also showed artery smooth muscle cells shifting toward a bone- and cartilage-forming state. In experiments with aortic smooth muscle cells grown in the lab, Rev-erb prevented an inflammatory signal from pushing these cells toward that state. It suppressed key regulators of bone formation. In human artery samples removed during surgery, Rev-erb levels were lower in calcified areas than in areas without calcification.
Why it matters
Small calcium deposits can destabilize plaques in atherosclerosis, an age-related disease. Understanding what controls these deposits may help identify ways to reduce cardiovascular risk.
Caveats
The mouse experiments tested genetic loss of Rev-erb, not a drug, and do not establish benefits in people. This preprint has not been peer-reviewed.
The paper
Rev-erbα inhibits vascular calcification by repressing osteogenic reprogramming in atherosclerosis
Institut Pasteur de Lille
bioRxiv, Oct 20, 2026, Open access, Preprint, not peer-reviewed
