Osteoporosis.  2012 Dec;10(3):136-145.

Inhibition of Osteoclast Differentiation and Bone Resorption by Poria cocos Wolf Extract

Affiliations
  • 1Imaging Science based Lung and Bone Disease Research Center, College of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Korea.
  • 2Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Institute of Wonkwang Medical Science, College of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Korea.
  • 3Division of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Sanbon Medical Center, Korea.
  • 4Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Korea.
  • 5Institute for Environmental Science, College of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Korea.
  • 6Institute for Skeletal Disease, College of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Korea.
  • 7Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Korea. chohj69@wku.ac.kr

Abstract


OBJECTIVES
Osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption are considered a potential therapeutic target to the treatment of erosive bone diseases, including osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Poria cocos Wolf (PCW), commonly used herbal medicine, has previously been reported to induce anti-inflammatory effect and anti-cancer effect, and to modulate immunologic responses. However, the effects of PCW on osteoclasts, and its detailed mechanisms are not proven. Therefore, we examined the inhibitory mechanism of PCW on osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
To analyze the effects of PCW on osteoclast differentiation, we examined osteoclast differentiation in bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) treated with or without of PCW by TRAP staining. The expression of c-Fos, NFATc1, TRAP and OSCAR mRNA was determined by RT-PCR and the protein levels of c-Fos, NFATc1, p38, ERK, JNK, Akt and IkappaB were assessed by western blot. Also, we evaluated the effect of PCW on bone resorption using hydroxyapatite plate.
RESULTS
PCW significantly inhibited RANKL-mediated osteoclast differentiation without any evidence of cytotoxicity. We founded that PCW strongly inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast formation when added during the early stage of cultures, suggesting that PCW acts on osteoclast precursors to inhibit RANKL/RANK signaling. Among the RANK signaling pathways, PCW inhibited the phosphorylation of p38 and JNK, also inhibited RANKL-induced expression of c-Fos, NFATc1, TRAP and OSCAR. In addition, PCW suppressed the bone resorption of mature osteoclasts.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that PCW may be a potential novel drug for bone disorders by targeting the differentiation of osteoclasts as well as their functions.

Keyword

Bone resorption; Osteoclast differentiation; Poria cocos Wolf (PCW); RANKL/RANK signaling

MeSH Terms

Arthritis, Rheumatoid
Blotting, Western
Bone Diseases
Bone Marrow
Bone Resorption
Cocos
Durapatite
Herbal Medicine
Macrophages
Osteoclasts
Osteoporosis
Phosphorylation
Poria
RNA, Messenger
Wolves
Durapatite
RNA, Messenger
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