title: Elemene, the essential oil of Curcuma wenyujin, inhibits osteogenic differentiation in ankylosing spondylitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effects of Elemene, the essential oil of Curcuma wenyujin, on Bone morphogenetic protein/drosophila mothers against decapentaplegic proteins (BMP/SMADs) signal pathway in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) fibroblasts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hip joint capsules were obtained from AS patients (n=10) receiving total hip replacement. Healthy hip joint capsules from patients with hip fracture (n=10) receiving surgery were included as a control. Primary fibroblast cell lines were established from these tissue samples. Fibroblasts were incubated with Elemene for 48 hours. The protein expression was detected by Western blot. The mRNA expression was detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that the expression of proteins including SMAD1, pSMAD1, SMAD4 and Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), and mRNA of RUNX2, which were over-expressed in AS fibroblasts were decreased in the AS fibroblasts cultured in medium with Elemene.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ele could have a hand in anti-osteogenic differentiation of AS fibroblasts by inhibiting the BMP/SMADs signal pathway and subsequently blocking expression of ossification marker genes RUNX2 that initiate the osteogenic differentiation.
authors: Department of Rheumatology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China; Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Ying-yan
authors: YY
authors: Zhou
authors: Department of Rheumatology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China. Electronic address: liuhongxiao_123@163.com.
authors: Hong-xiao
authors: HX
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Rheumatology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Nan
authors: N
authors: Jiang
authors: Department of Rheumatology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Xing-hua
authors: XH
authors: Feng
authors: Department of Vaccine Engineering, Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Xiao-yan
authors: XY
authors: Feng
authors: Department of Vaccine Engineering, Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: He-qiu
authors: HQ
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Rheumatology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Zhi-kui
authors: ZK
authors: Wu
authors: Department of Rheumatology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Hui-ying
authors: HY
authors: Liang
authors: Department of Rheumatology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Quan
authors: Q
authors: Jiang
authors: Department of Rheumatology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Peng
authors: P
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D050657:Core Binding Factor alpha Subunits / Q000096:biosynthesis; D030024:Curcuma; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D017746:Joint Capsule / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009999:Ossification, Heterotopic / Q000378:metabolism; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000494:pharmacology; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051785:Smad Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D050657:Core Binding Factor alpha Subunits; D010938:Plant Oils; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D051785:Smad Proteins; C038905:elemene
keywords: Ankylosing spondylitis; BMP/SMADs; Elemene; Fibroblasts; Ossification