Abstract
BackgroundBone fracture repair has gained a lot of attention due to the high incidence of delayed union or even nonunion especially in osteoporotic patients, resulting in a dreadful impact on the quality of life. However, current therapies involve the costly expense and hence become unaffordable strategies for fracture recovery. Herein, developing new strategies for better bone repair is essential and urgent. Catalpol treatment has been reported to attenuate bone loss and promote bone formation. However, the mechanisms underlying its effects remain unraveled.MethodsRat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were isolated from rat femurs. BMSC osteogenic ability was assessed using ALP and ARS staining, immunofluorescence, and western blot analysis. BMSC-mediated angiogenic potentials were determined using the western blot analysis, ELISA testing, scratch wound assay, transwell migration assay, and tube formation assay. To investigate the molecular mechanism, the lentivirus transfection was used. Ovariectomized and sham-operated rats with calvaria defect were analyzed using micro-CT, H&E staining, Masson’s trichrome staining, microfil perfusion, sequential fluorescent labeling, and immunohistochemistry assessment after administrated with/without catalpol.ResultsOur results manifested that catalpol enhanced BMSC osteoblastic differentiation and promoted BMSC-mediated angiogenesis in vitro. More importantly, this was conducted via the JAK2/STAT3 pathway, as knockdown of STAT3 partially abolished beneficial effects in BMSCs. Besides, catalpol administration facilitated bone regeneration as well as vessel formation in an OVX-induced osteoporosis calvarial defect rat model.ConclusionsThe data above showed that catalpol could promote osteogenic ability of BMSC and BMSC-dependent angiogenesis through activation of the JAK2/STAT3 axis, suggesting it may be an ideal therapeutic agent for clinical medication of osteoporotic bone fracture.
Highlights
Bone fracture repair has gained a lot of attention due to the high incidence of delayed union or even nonunion especially in osteoporotic patients, resulting in a dreadful impact on the quality of life
To determine whether catalpol affects the proliferation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), we initially performed Cell counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays
Consisting with the result of CCK-8 assay, the rewarding effect was partly attenuated in BMSCs when incubated with a higher concentration of catalpol b, c Quantification of western blot results
Summary
Bone fracture repair has gained a lot of attention due to the high incidence of delayed union or even nonunion especially in osteoporotic patients, resulting in a dreadful impact on the quality of life. Osteoporosis is becoming a worldwide health issue and a social threat due to the aging society. It is characterized by decreasing bone mass and deteriorating microarchitecture in the skeleton, both of which enhance the risk of bone fracture [1,2,3]. Various medical applications including autologous bone grafts and autografts have been used in the clinical options. These techniques encounter limitations because of the donor unavailability and morbidity, infection, immune rejection, pain, and the cost [5].
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