Promoting Effects on Proliferation and Chondrogenic Differentiation of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Four Kidney-Tonifying Traditional Chinese Herbs

摘要

Traditional Chinese medicine can promote the proliferation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). We chose four “Kidney-tonifying” Chinese herbal medicines, Radix Astragali, Salvia, Herba Epimedii, and Saussurea Involucrata, to evaluate whether they had positive effects on the proliferation of BMSCs and TGF-β1-induced chondrogenic differentiation of BMSCs. The four Chinese herbal medicines were intragastrically administered to Sprague-Dawley rats, respectively, to prepare drug-containing serums of corresponding Chinese herbs. BMSCs were isolated, cultured, and exposed to culture solution containing 1%, 5%, 10%, and 15% (v/v) Radix Astragali-, Salvia-,Herba Epimedii-, and SaussureaInvolucrata-containing serum, respectively.TGF-β1-induced BMSCs were addressed in thesame manner. Collagen type II protein wasassessed by immunofluorescence methods. Toassess whether the drug-containing serums hadpositive effects on the proliferation of BMSCsand TGF-β1-induced BMSCs, MTT method wasassessed. The proliferation of BMSCs wassignificantly enhanced when exposed to culturesolutions containing 1% and 5% RadixAstragali-, 1% and 5% Salvia-, 5%Herba Epimedii-, and 1%, 5%, and10% Saussurea Involucrata-containing serum.The proliferation of TGF-β1-induced BMSCswas significantly enhanced when exposed to1%, 5%, and 15% Radix Astragali-,10% and 15% Salvia-, 5%, and15% Herba Epimedii-, and 1%, 5%,and 10% Saussurea Involucrata-containingserum.