Objective To observe the changes of patched-1 (PTCH1) and Gli3mRNA and protein contents of cell surface receptors of Hedgehog signaling pathway in bone and kidney tissues of ovariectomized osteoporosis model rats, as well as the effects of TCM prescriptions of tonifying kidney and filling essence, promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. To explore the feasibility of TCM prescription in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis and the relationship between the pathogenesis of postmenopausal osteoporosis and Hedgehog signaling pathway. Methods The model of postmenopausal osteoporosis was established by resecting the female rats' bilateral ovaries, and the model rats were given Chinese herbal formula of tonifying kidney and filling essence, Chinese herbal formula of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, and Gushukang for 12 weeks, among which Gushukang was the positive control group, the normal group and the model blank group. The relative mRNA expression levels of PTCH1 and Gli3 in bone and kidney tissues of rats were detected by RT-PCR. The protein contents of PTCH1 and GLI3 in bone and kidney tissues of rats were determined by ELISA. Results Compared with the normal group, the expression of PTCH1mRNA and protein in the femur and kidney of rats in each group was significantly increased in the model group (P<0.01). Compared with model group, it was significantly decreased in kidney-tonifying and essence filling group, blood circulation and stasis removing group and positive control group (P<0.01). Compared with each drug, the down-regulation of kidney-tonifying and essence filling group was better than the group of promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis(P<0.01). Compared with the normal group, the expression of Gli3mRNA and protein in the femur and kidney of rats in each group was significantly increased in the model group (P<0.01). Compared with model group, it was significantly decreased in kidney-tonifying and essence filling group, blood circulation and stasis removing group and positive control group (P<0.01). Compared with each drug, the down-regulation of kidney-tonifying and essence filling group was better than the group of promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis (P<0.01). Conclusions The contents of PTCH1mRNA and protein and GLI3 mRNA and protein were significantly increased in bone and kidney tissues of Ovariectomized rats with osteoporosis, suggesting that PTCH1 and GLI3 may be involved in the occurrence and progression of bone metabolic imbalance in postmenopausal osteoporosis. Kidney-tonifying and essence filling prescriptions and TCM prescriptions for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis can downregulate the mRNA relative expressions and protein contents of PTCH1 and GLI3, which may be one of the mechanisms of prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, and the Kidney-tonifying and essence filling method is better than the method for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. |