Anditri Weningtyas, Mohammad Saifur Rohman, Indah Nur Chomsy, Victor Alvianoes Guterez Hose, Mochamad Faishal Riza, Dian Laila Purwaningroom, Achmad Rudijanto, Dian Nugrahenny
Background: Vascular calcification is a significant contributor to cardiovascular complications in diabetes mellitus (DM), particularly affecting the prognosis of patients. Objectives: To conduct a comprehensive analysis of the molecular mechanisms underlying vascular calcification in DM, with a focus on insights from human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs). Methods: The search was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines, utilizing databases such as MEDLINE/PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. The search focused on articles published within the last 5 years that discussed the molecular mechanisms of vascular calcification in DM, specifically in HASMCs. Results: Five selected reviews were found in a total of 637 articles. DM significantly accelerates vascular calcification in HASMCs through the upregulation of osteogenic markers and activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Other identified mechanisms include inflammation, ferroptosis, and endothelial dysfunction, contributing to the complex interplay of factors that drive vascular calcification in diabetic patients. Conclusion: It is concluded that DM significantly accelerates vascular calcification in enhanced expression of osteogenic markers and activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in human aortic smooth muscle cells. Patients with diabetes are more likely to have cardiovascular issues as a result of this pathological process. © 2026, Brawijaya University. All rights reserved.
Doctoral Program in Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia; Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia; Department of Cardiology and Vascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia; Research Center of Cardiovascular, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia; Biomedical Science Study Program, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Udayana, Bali, Indonesia; Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Brawijaya, Dr. Saiful Anwar General Hospital, Malang, Indonesia; Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of medicine, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia
