Experimental study on the effects of epimedium sagittatum on bone metabolism and tibial bone microstructure in osteoporosis rats
Li Yongzhi
Han Lijun
Li Zhibin
Guo Dong
Li Wei
Zhang Bodong
Abstract：Objective To investigate the effects of epimedium sagittatum(EPI)on bone metabolism and tibial bone microstructure in osteoporosis(OP)rats.Methods Rats were randomly separated into Sham group,Model group,EPI low-dose(EPI-L)group,EPI high-dose(EPI-H)group,and EPI-H+YC-1(HIF-1α inhibitor)group.Bilateral oophorectomy was performed to construct an OP rat model.ELISA was applied to detect serum IL-10,IL-6,TNF-α,serum calcium(Ca),serum phosphorus(P),osteoprotegerin(OPG),osteocalcin(OCN),and alkaline phosphatase(ALP)in rats.Dual energy X-ray bone density instrument was applied to detect tibial bone density(BMD)in rats.Micro CT was applied to detect the microstruc-ture of tibia bone.HE staining was applied to observe the morphology of tibial tissue.Bone morphogenetic protein(BMP-2),RUNt-associated transcription factor 2(Runx2),and cysteine proteinase-3(cleaved)were detected by Western blot Protein levels of caspase-3,hypoxia inducible factor HIF-1α(HIF-1α),vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),and vascular endo-thelial growth factor receptor 2(VEGFR-2).Results Compared with the Sham group,the microstructure and tissue morphol-ogy of the tibia of rats in the Model group were obviously damaged,the ratio of tibial bone surface area to volume,trabecu-lar separation,serum IL-6,TNF-α,ALP levels,and tibial bone tissue cleaved caspase-3 protein expression level were obvi-ously increased(all P＜0.05),the bone trabecular thickness,serum IL-10,OPG,OCN,S-Ca and S-P levels,tibial BMD,tibial bone tissue BMP-2,Runx2,HIF-1α,VEGF,and VEGFR-2 protein expression levels were obviously reduced(all P＜0.05).Compared with the Model group,the damage to the microstructure and tissue morphology of the tibia of rats in the EPI-L and EPI-H groups was obviously reduced,the ratio of tibial bone surface area to volume,trabecular separation,serum IL-6,TNF-α,ALP levels,and tibial bone tissue cleaved caspase-3 protein expression level were obviously reduced(all P＜0.05),the bone trabecular thickness,serum IL-10,OPG,OCN,S-Ca and S-P levels,tibial BMD,tibial bone tissue BMP-2,Runx2,HIF-1α,VEGF,and VEGFR-2 protein expression levels were obviously increased(all P＜0.05).Compared with EPI-H group,the above indexes were partially reversed in EPI-H+YC-1 group(all P＜0.05).Conclusion EPI can reduce inflammatory re-action,regulate bone metabolism balance,and improve tibial bone microstructure in OP rats,possibly by activating the HIF-1α/VEGF/VEGFR-2 signaling pathway.
Keywords：OsteoporosisEpimedium sagittatumBone metabolismTibiaBone microstructureRat
Publication Date：2024-08-18
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：7( 993-998,1001 )