Gla-rich Protein (GRP): A New Player in the Burden of Vascular Calcification

Vascular calcification is a life-threatening complication of cardiovascular disease and an independent risk factor for morbidity and mortality. It is a complex and active cellular process that includes multiple players and regulators resembling physiological bone formation. Currently, it is generally accepted that our understanding of the molecular aetiology of vascular calcification remains incomplete. Endogenous inhibitors play a critical role in preventing vascular calcification. A relation between vitamin K and vascular calcification has been widely established and recently, the vitamin K-dependent protein, Gla-rich protein (GRP), was proposed to have an important role in vascular calcification inhibition, with clinical implications.