Sortilin, carbamylation, and cardiovascular calcification in chronic kidney disease

Sortilin appears to play important roles in the pathogenesis of vascular and metabolic diseases, such as cardiovascular calcification. Post-translational modifications of sortilin (i.e., phosphorylation or carbamylation) are among the key mechanisms of its actions. Recent data extended the role of carbamylated sortilin to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular calcifications in chronic kidney disease. Whether therapeutic tools potentially available to inhibit the carbamylation process in chronic kidney disease patients would allow preventing cardiovascular calcifications remains to be demonstrated.