Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), a green leafy vegetable, is well known as a functional food due to its biological activities. Vascular calcification is associated with several disease conditions including atherosclerosis, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease (CKD), and is known to raise the risk of cardiovascular diseases related morbidity and mortality. However, there are no previous studies that have investigated the effects of fermented spinach exract (FSE) against aortic and its underlying mechanisms. Therefore, this study investigated the effects and action of possible mechanisms of FSE on inorganic phosphate (PI)-induced vascular calcification in ex vivo mouse aortic rings. PI increased vascular calcification through calcium deposition in ex vivo aortic rings. FSE inhibited calcium accumulation and osteogenic key marker, runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), and bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 (BMP-2) protein expression in ex vivo aortic rings. And, FSE inhibited PI-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 phosphorylation in ex vivo aortic rings. These results show that FSE can prevent vascular calcification which may be a crucial way for the prevention and treatment of vascular disease association with vascular calcification.

Abstract
I. 서 론
II. 연구 내용 및 방법
    1. 연구재료
    2. 발효 시금치 추출물 제조
    3. 비타민 K1과 K2 정량
    4. 생체 밖 혈관 석회화(ex vivo calcification)
    5. 면역조직염색법
    6. 혈관 석회화 측정
    7. 단백질 발현 측정
    8. 통계처리
III. 결과 및 고찰
    1. 발효 시금치 추출물의 비타민 K1과 K2 함량
    2. 무기인산염의 농도에 따른 생체 밖 혈관 석회화 유도
    3. FSE의 PI에 의해 유도된 생체 밖 대동맥 고리에서의 혈관석회화 저해 효능
    4. FSE의 PI에 의해 유도된 생체 밖 대동맥 고리에서의 골형성 단백질 저해 효능
    5. FSE의 PI에 의해 유도된 생체 밖 대동맥 고리에서의MAPK 키나아제 활성 저해 효능
IV. 요약 및 결론
감사의 글
Conflict of Interest
References

• 이상희(한국식품연구원) | Sang Hee Lee (Korea Food Research Institute)
• 홍선미(환동해산업연구원) | Sun Mi Hong (Marine Industry Research Institute for Eastrim (MIRE))
• 성미정(한국식품연구원) | Mi Jeong (Korea Food Research Institute) Corresponding author