JASN：新的血液测试检测致命性钙沉积

一种新的测试方法可以帮助鉴定和治疗那些组织和血管中可能会出现潜在致命性钙沉积在风险的患者，据一项发表在Journal of the American Society of Nephrology杂志上的研究表明。心脏疾病是慢性肾脏病（CKD）患者的头号杀手，血管钙化被认为在此种疾病中发挥了重要作用。

慢性肾脏病患者血液中往往具有异常高水平的钙，原因是由于患者自身肾功能受损以及使用药物的影响。过量钙的积累可能会导致潜在致命的组织和血管钙化，到目前为止，临床医生还没有好的工具来确定一个人出现组织和血管钙化的风险。

瑞士伯尔尼大学Andreas Pasch MD和他的同事们研发出首个能测量患者血液钙化风险的测试方法。博士说：我们新开发出来的测试方法可以识别患者发展出现钙化的风险，该方法可能会成为一个重要的工具来预测患者钙化风险以及测试钙化抑制剂。该研究的共同作者包括Stefan Farese博士、Steffen Gräber、Johanna Wald、Walter Richtering博士等人。

doi:10.1681/ASN.2012030240
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Nanoparticle-Based Test Measures Overall Propensity for Calcification in Serum

Andreas Pasch*, Stefan Farese*, Steffen Grber*, Johanna Wald, Walter Richtering

Vascular and soft tissue calcification contributes to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in both the general population and CKD. Because calcium and phosphate serum concentrations are near supersaturation, the balance of inhibitors and promoters critically influences the development of calcification. An assay that measures the overall propensity for calcification to occur in serum may have clinical use. Here, we describe a nanoparticle-based assay that detects, in the presence of artificially elevated calcium and phosphate concentrations, the spontaneous transformation of spherical colloidal primary calciprotein particles (CPPs) to elongate crystalline secondary CPPs. We used characteristics of this transition to describe the intrinsic capacity of serum to inhibit the precipitation of calcium and phosphate. Using this assay, we found that both the sera of mice deficient in fetuin-A, a serum protein that inhibits calcification, and the sera of patients on hemodialysis have reduced intrinsic properties to inhibit calcification. In summary, we developed a nanoparticle-based test that measures the overall propensity for calcification in serum. The clinical use of the test requires evaluation in a prospective study.