title: Effect of Qing'e formula on the in vitro differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells from proximal femurs of postmenopausal osteoporotic mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Qing'e formula (QEF), prepared from an ancient Chinese recipe, was previously suggested to regulate bone metabolism and improve bone mineral density in patients with osteoporosis. To study the effects of medicated serum containing QEF on the in vitro differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) isolated from the proximal femurs of postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using an established mouse model of PMOP, mononuclear cells were isolated from the bone marrow present in the proximal femurs and cultured. PMOP mice were also randomly divided into four groups: the untreated group (Group A) and the groups treated with respectively low (Group B), medium (Group C), and high (Group D) concentrations of QEF. Serum was isolated from each and used to treat the cultured BMSCs in conjunction with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2). Cell morphology, proliferation rates, intracellular alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) mRNA expression were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  QEF-treated serum, particularly that containing moderate and high concentrations, appears to enhance the rhBMP-2-mediated changes in cell morphology, proliferation, and differentiation (determined via the expression of TGF-β1 mRNA and ALP activity) observed in the BMSCs isolated from PMOP mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  QEF may play a role in the prevention and treatment of PMOP by enhancing the activity of rhBMP-2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. bobo3137@126.com.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shuai
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. shenlinhb@sina.cn.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. 470031085@qq.com.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. 762873158@qq.com.
authors.forename: Piqi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C499469:recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase