title: Biochanin a promotes osteogenic but inhibits adipogenic differentiation: evidence with primary adipose-derived stem cells.
abstract: Biochanin A has promising effects on bone formation in vivo, although the underlying mechanism remains unclear yet. This study therefore aimed to investigate whether biochanin A regulates osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation using primary adipose-derived stem cells. The effects of biochanin A (at a physiologically relevant concentration of 0.1-1 μM) were assessed in vitro using various approaches, including Oil red O staining, Nile red staining, alizarin red S staining, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, flow cytometry, RT-PCR, and western blotting. The results showed that biochanin A significantly suppressed adipocyte differentiation, as demonstrated by the inhibition of cytoplasmic lipid droplet accumulation, along with the inhibition of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR γ ), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), and leptin and osteopontin (OPN) mRNA expression, in a dose-dependent manner. On the other hand, treatment of cells with 0.3 μM biochanin A increased the mineralization and ALP activity, and stimulated the expression of the osteogenic marker genes ALP and osteocalcin (OCN). Furthermore, biochanin A induced the expression of runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osteoprotegerin (OPG), and Ras homolog gene family, member A (RhoA) proteins. These observations suggest that biochanin A prevents adipogenesis, enhances osteoblast differentiation in mesenchymal stem cells, and has beneficial regulatory effects in bone formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, FooYin University, 151 Chin-Hsueh Road, Ta-Liao, Kaohsiung 83101, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shu-Jem
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Yao-Tsung
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Shu-Hui
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Kee-Lung
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Huey-Wen
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Shyu
authors.forename: Kuan-Ming
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yeh