A traditional Chinese medicine formula extracts stimulate proliferation and inhibit mineralization of human mesenchymal stem cells in vitro.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula extract, named as ZD-I, on the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) in vitro.


METHODS
When hMSCs cultivated in the basal medium with ZD-I, cell viability was assessed by MTT assay and cellular proliferation was assessed by SYBR green I assay. The effects of ZD-I on osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs were assessed by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, mineralization assay and real-time RT-PCR.


RESULTS
ZD-I (0.78-100 microg/ml) was non-cytotoxic. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of hMSCs was 200 microg/ml. ZD-I (0.78-50 microg/ml) stimulated the proliferation of hMSCs. ZD-I did not change ALP activity of hMSCs cultivated in osteogenic medium in the early stage (4 and 7 days), but ZD-I inhibited the mineralization of hMSCs through down-regulation of several osteogenic markers (e.g. osteocalcin, bone morphogenetic protein 2 and osteopontin) in the late stage.


CONCLUSIONS
ZD-I stimulate cellular proliferation and decrease the bone mineral deposition of hMSCs. These results suggest ZD-I may play an important therapeutic role in osteoarthritic patients by improving proliferative capacity of hMSCs and inhibiting the mineralization of hMSCs.
Chen
Muwan
M
Orthopaedic Research Lab, Aarhus University Hospital, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
Feng
Wenzhou
W
Cao
Hui
H
Zou
Lijin
L
Chen
Chungui
C
Baatrup
Anette
A
Nielsen
Anne Bay
AB
Li
Haisheng
H
Kassem
Moustapha
M
Zou
Xuenong
X
Bünger
Cody
C
D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D003470:Culture Media; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*
D003470:Culture Media; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase