title: Effect of whey protein on the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts.
abstract: Effects of whey protein on osteoblasts were evaluated. The whey protein was added to the culture medium at concentrations of 0.02 and 0.1 mg/mL. In vitro, whey protein stimulated the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts cultured in different concentrations of whey protein. The levels of osteocalcin and insulin-like growth factor-I in the culture medium also increased. Real-time reverse transcription-PCR results showed that the mRNA expression of osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (RANKL) increased in the cells in a dose-dependent manner, and when the results were expressed as OPG/RANKL ratio, a significant increase could be seen in the 0.1 mg/mL whey protein group. These results showed that the active component in the whey protein plays an important role in bone formation and a potential therapeutic role in osteoporosis by activating osteoblasts.
authors.affiliation: Key Lab of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China. xr19801101@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000032:analysis; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000378:metabolism; D053245:RANK Ligand / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D000067816:Whey Proteins
chemical_list: D008894:Milk Proteins; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D053245:RANK Ligand; D000067816:Whey Proteins; D015675:Osteocalcin; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase