Brain calcification mechanisms
The researchers discover that astrocytes transport inorganic phosphate through the polarized distribution of importer PiT2 and exporter XPR1, which maintain brain homeostasis of inorganic phosphate, providing a therapeutic strategy for calcification amelioration in patients with primary basal ganglion calcification.
The authors found that Pi uptake by PiT2, and its facilitation by primary familial brain calcification (PFBC)-associated galactosidase MYORG, were required for the high Pi transport capacity of astrocytes.
They also show that brain calcification was suppressed by astrocyte-specific PiT2 re-expression in Pit2-KO mice.
https://www.cell.com/trends/molecular-medicine/fulltext/S1471-4914(24)00336-8
