Simvastatin induces osteogenic differentiation of MSCs via Wnt/β-catenin pathway to promote fracture healing

European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences
M ZhangW-D Mu

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate whether Simvastatin could facilitate osteogenic differentiation of rat marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) by modulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, thus promoting fracture healing. MSCs were isolated from rat bone marrow specimens and their purity was identified. The third generation of MSCs was cultured in osteoinduction medium containing simvastatin of gradient concentration, and the highest dose of simvastatin that did not cause cell proliferation was determined by the result of the CCK8 assay. The effects of simvastatin on osteogenic differentiation of MSCs were evaluated by ALP activity, Alizarin red staining, alkaline phosphatase staining and osteoblast-specific gene expression. Finally, Wnt pathway antagonist DKK1 and β-catenin disturbing agent were added to MSCs to detect the ALP activity, Alizarin red staining, alkaline phosphatase staining and osteoblast-specific genes of MSCs respectively, and to evaluate whether simvastatin promoted osteogenic differentiation of MSCs by activating Wnt/β-catenin pathway. After osteoinduction, simvastatin of 0.3 nmol/L was found to be the highest dose that did not induce the proliferation of MSCs. After treated with 0.3 nmol/L simvastatin for 7 ...Continue Reading

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