title: Panax notoginseng saponins potentiate osteogenesis of bone marrow stromal cells by modulating gap junction intercellular communication activities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Chinese medicinal herb, Panax notoginseng, has long been used to treat bone fractures and Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) could promote bone formation. We investigated the effects of PNS on gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) and osteogenesis-associated genes in rat bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our MTT assays demonstrated that PNS enhanced BMSC proliferation under basal medium culture in vitro. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assays and alizarin Red staining showed that PNS stimulated ALP activity and calcium deposition by BMSCs. Measurement of the traversing of Lucifer yellow through intercellular junctions revealed that PNS significantly stimulated GJIC activities. RT-PCR assays further showed that PNS augmented the increase in the mRNA levels of ALP, core-binding factor a1, and bone sialoprotein while decreasing the mRNA level of PPARγ2. PNS also reduced RANKL levels and increased osteoprotegerin levels. Gap junction inhibitor, 18a-glycyrrhetinic acid, could partially reverse the actions of PNS on BMSCs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate that PNS could promote osteogenesis of BMSCs by targeting osteogenesis-associated genes, which could be mediated by their actions on GJIC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, the First Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, PR China.
authors.forename: Xue-dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhao-yong
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Dong-xin
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jian-sheng
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guo-qing
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Dong-yang
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Shi-xin
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053723:Panax notoginseng / Q000737:chemistry*; D053245:RANK Ligand / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D007546:Isoquinolines; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D047495:PPAR gamma; D053245:RANK Ligand; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012503:Saponins; C119129:18alpha-glycyrrhetinic acid; C017475:lucifer yellow; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid