title: [Experimental study of icariin in inducing bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell differentiation].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To research the effect of icariin (ICA) on the proliferation and differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and to study its influence on the expressions of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) in the progress of BMSCs differentiating into osteoblast, for providing an experimental evidence to explain the mechanism of ICA, also for exploring the feasibility of establishing a platform upon TGF-beta, and BMP-2 to screen out the medicine in preventing and treating osteoporosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  After the most effective concentration of ICA for promoting the differentiation of BMSCs into osteoblast was judged with the indices like alkaline phosphatase (ALP), etc., a grouped experiment was conducted for the sake of studying the effect and mechanism of ICA in its process of inducing BMSCs differentiation into osteoblast through detecting expression of ALP and calcium nodes, as well as the expressions of TGF-beta1, and BMP-2 with ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most effective concentration of the ICA on the BMSCs differentiation was judged as 1 x 10(-9) mol/L, ICA of that concentration showed effects in enhancing the expressions of osteoblast-indices and increasing the secretion of TGF-beta1, and BMP-2. Besides, the increase of TGF-beta1, and BMP-2 was revealed in all the groups, in which ICA showed its influence visibly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ICA could promote the differentiation of BMSCs into osteoblast; the up-regulation of TGF-beta1, and BMP-2 expressions is possibly one of the action mechanisms of various interventional drugs in their differentiation promoting progress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Zhen-gang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Zha
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology; D011817:Rabbits; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D005419:Flavonoids; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C056599:icariin