2024, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (23): 3709-3714

Effects of icariin on proliferation and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells in an inflammatory environment

Han Yue, Wang Yufei, Liu Wanqing, Dong Ming, Niu Weidong   

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that chronic apical periodontitis is one of the common inflammatory bone destruction diseases. Icariin can promote osteogenic differentiation, inhibit bone resorption, and may play a protective role in bone destruction caused by chronic apical periodontitis.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of icariin on the proliferation and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells in the inflammatory environment stimulated by lipopolysaccharides.
METHODS: Lipopolysaccharides were used to stimulate MC3T3-E1 cells to establish an inflammatory environment in vitro, and cell counting kit-8 was used to detect the best concentration and optimal action time of lipopolysaccharides. Cell counting kit-8 was used to detect the optimal concentration of icariin under the stimulation of lipopolysaccharides at a concentration of 1 μg/mL. Alkaline phosphatase detection, Real-time PCR and western blot assay were used to detect the effect of icariin on osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells in the inflammatory environment. Real-time PCR and western blot were used to detect the effects of icariin on the expression of interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 in MC3T3-E1 cells in the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated inflammatory environment.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Cell counting kit-8 results showed that the optimal concentration of icariin was 0.1 μg/mL. In the inflammatory environment, icariin enhanced the expression of alkaline phosphatase and promoted osteoblast differentiation. Compared with the lipopolysaccharide group, the expression of osteogenesis-related factors alkaline phosphatase and Runx2 was increased in the lipopolysaccharide+icariin group. Compared with the lipopolysaccharide group, the expression levels of inflammation-related factors interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 decreased in the lipopolysaccharide+icariin group. To conclude, lipopolysaccharides weaken the osteogenic ability of MC3T3-E1 cells and aggravate the inflammatory response, but icariin has a protective effect on them.

Key words: MC3T3-E1 cell, icariin, chronic apical periodontitis, lipopolysaccharide, osteogenic differentiation