ABSTRACT
Objective To study the effect of aqueous extract from Araliae Echinocaulis Radicis et Cortex (AEAE) on expression of TGF-β/BMPs signaling pathway in osteoblasts.Methods The fracture model of rat was established and randomly divided into model group,AEAE low,middle and high dose (3.6,1.8,0.9 g/kg) group.After ig administration for 7 d,the blood was taken from abdominal aorta and the serum was separated.The rats primary osteoblasts were cultured and qualified after alkaline phosphatase staining and alizarin red staining.The osteoblasts were cultured continuously for 48 h in animal serum of the corresponding group.The contents of BMP-2,TGF-β,Smad-1 and Smad-2 were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting method.Results Compared with model group,the mRNA level ofBMP-2,TGF-β and Smad-1 in AEAE low,middle and high dose group,Smad-2 mRNA level in middle and high dose group,and the protein level of BMP-2,TGF-β,Smad-1 and Smad-2 in low,middle and high dose groupwere significantly higher than those in model group (P＜0.05 and 0.01).Conclusion AEAE can promote the proliferation ofosteoblasts by up-regulating the expression of BMP-2,TGF-β,Smad-1 and Smad-2 in TGF-β/BMPs signaling pathway.