Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2011, Vol. 15 ›› Issue (46): 8702-8705.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-8225.2011.46.036

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Effects of the prescription for tonifying kidney and strengthening spleen on caspase-3 and caspase-8 expression in skeletal muscle of ovariectomized rats

Li Ying1 , Bai Bo2, 3, Huang Hong-xing4, Wu Huo-yan1, Zhang Shu-jiang3, Wang Guang-wei4   

  1. 1Department of Orthopedics, Guangdong Hospital of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Foshan  528200 Guangdong Province, China
    2Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou  510120, Guangdong Province, China
    3Guangdong Key Laboratory of Orthopedic Technology and Implant Materials, Guangzhou  510120, Guangdong Province, China
    4Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou  510405, Guangdong Province, China
  • Received:2011-05-21 Revised:2011-05-30 Online:2011-11-12 Published:2011-11-12
  • Contact: Li Ying☆, Doctor, Attending physician, Department of Orthopedics, Guangdong Hospital of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Foshan 528200 Guangdong Province, China leewinly@163.com
  • About author:Li Ying☆, Doctor, Attending physician, Department of Orthopedics, Guangdong Hospital of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Foshan 528200 Guangdong Province, China leewinly@163.com
  • Supported by:

    the Science Research Foundation for Post-doctoral Research of China, No. 20100480737*; the Science and Technology Development Project of Guangdong Province, No. 2010B030700076*; the Traditional Chinese Medicine Project of Guangzhou City, No. 201122231001*

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that there is a close relationship between skeletal muscle and osteoporosis. Apoptosis is a main reason of skeletal muscle aging, which may be mediated by the proteins of caspase family.
OBJECTIVE: To study the mechanism of the prescription for tonifying kidney and strengthening spleen on preventing and treating osteoporosis and observe the regulation of the prescription on caspase-3 and caspase-8 expression in skeletal muscle of ovariectomized rats.
METHODS: Forty-eight female non-pregnant SD rats (6 months) were randomly and evenly divided into four groups: control, ovariectomized, estrogen and traditional Chinese herb. After establishing model, the rats of traditional Chinese herb group were intragastrically administered with the prescription for tonifying kidney and strengthening spleen (2.979 g/kg). The rats of estrogen group received an intragastric administration of estradiol valerate (0.104 mg/kg). The rats of the other groups were intragastrically given distilled water, once a day.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry results showed that compared with control group, bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) in rat left femur were significantly lower in the model group (P < 0.01). The BMD was significantly greater in the estrogen and traditional Chinese herb groups than in the model group (P < 0.05) and the BMD and BMC were similar between the estrogen and traditional Chinese herb groups (P > 0.05). Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay results showed that compared with the control group, caspase-3 and caspase-8 expression in the skeletal muscle was significantly increased in the model group (P < 0.05); caspase-3 expression was significantly decreased in the traditional Chinese herb group (P < 0.05), and caspase-8 expression was significantly decreased in the estrogen group (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that the prescription for tonifying kidney and strengthening spleen exhibits obvious therapeutic effects on ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis, can increase bone mineral density and obviously decrease caspase-3 expression, but it can not markedly decrease caspase-8 expression. This indicates that the prescription does not inhibit apoptosis by death receptor signal pathway.

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