Abstract

BackgroundQing’e formula (QEF), prepared from an ancient Chinese recipe, was previously suggested to regulate bone metabolism and improve bone mineral density in patients with osteoporosis. To study the effects of medicated serum containing QEF on the in vitro differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) isolated from the proximal femurs of postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) mice.MethodsUsing an established mouse model of PMOP, mononuclear cells were isolated from the bone marrow present in the proximal femurs and cultured. PMOP mice were also randomly divided into four groups: the untreated group (Group A) and the groups treated with respectively low (Group B), medium (Group C), and high (Group D) concentrations of QEF. Serum was isolated from each and used to treat the cultured BMSCs in conjunction with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2). Cell morphology, proliferation rates, intracellular alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) mRNA expression were evaluated.ResultsQEF-treated serum, particularly that containing moderate and high concentrations, appears to enhance the rhBMP-2-mediated changes in cell morphology, proliferation, and differentiation (determined via the expression of TGF-β1 mRNA and ALP activity) observed in the BMSCs isolated from PMOP mice.ConclusionsQEF may play a role in the prevention and treatment of PMOP by enhancing the activity of rhBMP-2.

Highlights

  • Qing’e formula (QEF), prepared from an ancient Chinese recipe, was previously suggested to regulate bone metabolism and improve bone mineral density in patients with osteoporosis

  • Identification of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) Using flow cytometry, the main negative BMSC surface markers CD34 and CD45 were confirmed to be negative in our cell cultures, being expressed in only 1.29 and 2.51 % of the cells, respectively (Fig. 1a and b)

  • BMSC growth and morphology following the addition of QEF-treated serum the number of cells increased in all four treatment groups, the level of cellular proliferation in groups A and B, as determined by the change in the number of adhesive cells, was distinctly slower than that observed for groups C and D (Fig. 2a)

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Summary

Introduction

Qing’e formula (QEF), prepared from an ancient Chinese recipe, was previously suggested to regulate bone metabolism and improve bone mineral density in patients with osteoporosis. Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) is one of the major diseases seriously affecting female health worldwide. PMOP is categorized as a kind of bone atrophy disease affecting, as the name suggests, postmenopausal women. Some success in the prevention and treatment of PMOP has been observed using a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) known as Qing’e formula (QEF). QEF consists of four primary compounds: cortex eucommiae, fructus psoraleae, semen juglandis, and Allium sativum. These ingredients are blended in a specific ratio and the resulting mixture has been used in TCM since the Song Dynasty (10th century CE) to invigorate the kidneys, replenish bone and muscle tissue, slim the body, and improve complexion. QEF is commonly used clinically as an oestrogen agonist for the treatment of osteoporosis, in PMOP [1]

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