The effect of deer antler growth factor on the viability and proliferation of primary human alveolar osteoblast cells in vitro

Abstract

Deer antler growth factor is extracted as a protein from deer antlers during the growth phase. This research examined the influence of deer antler growth factor on the viability, proliferation, and differentiation of human alveolar osteoblast cells in vitro. Human alveolar osteoblast cells were exposed to various concentrations of deer antler growth factor (12.5, 25, 50, 100, or 250 µg/ml) in culture medium. After 48 hours of incubation, cell viability and proliferation were determined by means of the MTT assay and Cell Counting Kit 8. Alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin were assessed using a protein assay and ELISA, respectively. The present study showed that deer antler growth factor increased the number and viability of human alveolar osteoblast cells significantly in a concentration-dependent manner (α<0.05). However, no effect of deer antler growth factor on alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin, two parameters of osteoblast differentiation, was found.