OA exerts an osteoprotective effect in OVX-induced osteoporotic rats and stimulates the osteoblastic differentiation of bMSCs in vitro. The molecular mechanism of this effect might be related to the Notch signaling pathway and requires further investigation.
Our findings show that PSO promotes bone mass in OVX-induced osteoporotic rats. This effect of PSO is highly related to the stimulation of differentiation of bMSCs to osteoblasts.
Icariin (ICA) is an active component of Herba Epimedium effective in preventing osteoporosis. Bone mesenchymal stem cells (bMSCs) are an important target by which ICA promotes osteogenesis. However, its molecular mechanisms are poorly defined. In the present study, we induced osteoporosis in rats by corticosterone (CORT) and ovariectomy (OVX), treated both with ICA for 2 weeks or 3 months. As results, both models displayed bone loss tendency within 2 weeks and a significant bone loss after 3 months. ICA promoted bMSCs diffenentiation from CORT rat, and increased the secretion of osteocalcin, collagen I, runt-related transcription factor 2 in OVX model. Gene profile revealed a marked shift of gene expression by ICA, with much more significance in CORT rats. These potential molecular targets were involved in cell communication, adhesion, cycle and cytokines secretion. But very few genes overlapped in these two models, suggesting the effects and molecular mechanisms of ICA on osteoporosis might be pathogenesis-dependent. However, the Notch signaling pathway was common in both models, and should be paid close attention to for further study.
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