title: Icariin promotes bone formation via the BMP-2/Smad4 signal transduction             pathway in the hFOB 1.19 human osteoblastic cell line.
abstract: Icariin, the main active compound of the traditional Chinese medicine, Epimedium, is commonly used for the clinical treatment of osteoporosis. However, the precise molecular mechanism of the therapeutic effect of icariin has not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of icariin on cell viability, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, the amount of calcified nodules, and to delineate the molecular mechanism of icariin-enhanced bone formation by investigating the expression of bone morphogenic protein-2 (BMP-2), Smad4, Cbfa1/Runx2, osteoprotegerin (OPG), receptor activator of nuclear factor κ-B ligand (RANKL) and the OPG/RANKL ratio in the hFOB 1.19 human osteoblastic cell line. We found that icariin significantly increased the cell viability, the activity of ALP and the amount of calcified nodules in the hFOB 1.19 cells. Furthermore, we observed that icariin upregulated the expression of BMP-2, Smad4, Cbfa1/Runx2, OPG, RANKL and the OPG/RANKL ratio. Our results indicate that icariin can modulate the process of bone formation via the BMP-2/Smad4 signal transduction pathway in hFOB 1.19 cells.
authors: Research Base of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, PR China.
authors: Wenna
authors: W
authors: Liang
authors: Munan
authors: M
authors: Lin
authors: Xihai
authors: X
authors: Li
authors: Candong
authors: C
authors: Li
authors: Bizheng
authors: B
authors: Gao
authors: Huijuan
authors: H
authors: Gan
authors: Zhaoyang
authors: Z
authors: Yang
authors: Xuejuan
authors: X
authors: Lin
authors: Linghong
authors: L
authors: Liao
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Yang
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D050659:Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D034181:Epimedium / Q000737:chemistry; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053245:RANK Ligand / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D051901:Smad4 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C525718:BMP2 protein, human; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D050659:Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005419:Flavonoids; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D053245:RANK Ligand; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C493709:RUNX2 protein, human; D051901:Smad4 Protein; C505688:TNFSF11 protein, human; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; C056599:icariin