Objective To investigate the effect of tanshinol on prednisone acetate-induced osteoporosis and its mechanism. Methods Sixty SD rats were selected and randomly divided into 6 groups: sham group, model group (prednisone acetate, 5mg/kg), tanshinol high-, medium-, and low-dose group (30, 20, 10 mg/kg), and resveratrol group (5 mgkg). The rats in tanshinol and resveratrol groups received same dose of prednisone acetate in the morning and then received drugs for 14 weeks. MC3T3-E1 cells were divided into 4 groups: group A (normal group), group B (prednisone acetate), group C (prednisone acetate + tanshinol), and group D (prednisone acetate + tanshinol + Ly294002). The bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine and femur was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). The apoptosis of cells in the rat bone tissue in each group was observed with TUNEL assay. The expression of apoptosis-related proteins such as Bax, AIF, cyto-C in each group was detected with Western blotting. The expression of p-Akt in MC3T3-E1 cells was detected using immunfluorescence and Western blotting. Results Compared to those in the model group, BMD of the lumbar spine and femur in tanshinol high-, medium-, and low-dose group and resveratrol group increased (P<0.05), cell apoptosis decreased (P<0.05), and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins such as Bax, AIF, cyto-C decreased (P<0.05). Compared to those in group A, the apoptosis of osteoblasts and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins such as Bax, AIF, cyto-C in group B and D increased obviously (P<0.05). Compared to those in group B, the apoptosis of osteoblasts and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins such as Bax, AIF, cyto-C in C group decreased (P<0.05). The p-Akt expression in group C increased significantly comparing to that in group B detected with immunfluorescence and Western blotting (P<0.05). Conclusion Tanshinol antagonizes the apoptosis of osteoblasts in prednisone acetate-induced oxidative stress. Moreover, the effect of tanshinol in vitro is via the activation of PI3k/Akt pathway. |