Endogenous Vasoactive Peptides and Vascular Aging-Related Diseases

Figure 9

The protective effects of ghrelin on vascular aging. Ghrelin attenuates vascular calcification, inflammation, and senescence by multiple pathways through combination with the receptor GHSR. Abbreviations: AMPK: AMP-activated protein kinase; EC: endothelial cell; eNOS: endogenous nitric oxide synthase; GHSR: growth hormone secretagogue receptor; MCP-1: monocyte chemotactic protein 1; NO: nitric oxide; OPG: osteoprotegerin; RANKL: receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand; ROS: reactive oxygen species; SIRT1: sirtuin1; SOD-2: superoxide dismutase-2; VSMC: vascular smooth muscle cell.