Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata promotes bone fracture healing through activation of TGF-β signaling in mesenchymal progenitors.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata (RR), the steamed roots of Rehmannia glutinosa, is a traditional Chinese medicine with the function of kidney-nourishing, and it has been safety used for centuries to treat bone-related disorders. The aim of this study is to investigate the positive effect and underlying mechanism of RR enhancing bone fracture healing in mouse model.

METHODS:

Ten-week-old C57BL/6J mice were subjected to a unilateral open transverse tibial fracture and provided a daily treatment of RR. Bone samples were harvested for tissue analyses including x-ray, μCT, histology, histomorphometry, biomechanical testing, immunohistochemical (IHC) and quantitative gene expression analysis. To determine the role of TGF-β in accelerating fracture healing effect of RR, aforementioned experiments were performed on Gli1-CreER; Tgfbr2 flox/flox (Tgfbr2Gli1ER) conditional knockout mice.

RESULTS:

RR promoted bone fracture healing and strengthened bone intensity in wild-type and Cre- mice with the activation of TGF-β/Smad2 signaling, on the contrary, RR failed to accelerating fracture healing in Tgfbr2Gli1ER mice.

CONCLUSION:

RR promotes bone fracture healing by intensify the contribution of Gli1+ cells on bone and cartilage formation mainly in TGF-β-dependent manner. RR is an alternative option for clinical treatment of fracture.

• Authors: Rui Xu, Cheng Luo, Qinwen Ge, Jun Ying, Peng Zhang, Chenjie Xia, Liang Fang, Huihui Xu, Wenhua Yuan, Taotao Xu, Shuaijie Lv, Hongting Jin, Peijian Tong, Kun Tian, Pinger Wang
• Journal: Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie (Biomed Pharmacother) Vol. 130 Pg. 110581 (Oct 2020) ISSN: 1950-6007 [Electronic] France
• PMID: 32745914 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Chemical References

• Smad2 Protein
• Smad2 protein, mouse
• Transforming Growth Factor beta
• Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II
• Tgfbr2 protein, mouse

Topics

• Animals
• Fractures, Bone (metabolism, therapy)
• Male
• Medicine, Chinese Traditional
• Mesenchymal Stem Cells (drug effects, metabolism)
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Mice, Knockout
• Plant Roots
• Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II (genetics)
• Rehmannia
• Signal Transduction
• Smad2 Protein (metabolism)
• Tibia (injuries)
• Transforming Growth Factor beta (metabolism)