| Objective To investigate the induction and potential mechanism of asiaticoside by bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Methods BMSCs were treated with six concentrations of asiaticoside (0, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 μmoL/L, respectively). Cell proliferation rate and apoptosis rate were detected using CCK-8 kit. The maximum non-toxic concentration of asiaticoside in BMSCs was screened. After 12 days of induction, Alizarin red staining was used to observe the formation of calcified nodular cells. The gene expression levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteopontin (OPN), and osteocalcin (OCN) in cells were detected with RT-qPCR. The protein expression levels of transforming growth factor -β1 (TGF-β1), Smad2, p-Smad2, Smad3, and p-Smad3 were detected with Western blotting. Results 20 μmoL/L of asiaticoside had no obvious inhibitory effect on BMSCs. Compared with control group, asiaticoside promoted the formation of calcified nodules, increased the expression levels of ALP, OPN, and OCN genes, and increased the expression levels of TGF-β1, p-Smad2 and p-Smad3 proteins in BMSCs (all P<0.05). Asiaticoside induced osteoblastic differentiation of BMSCs even when TGF-β/Smads pathway was inhibited. Conclusion Asiaticoside has the potential to induce osteoblastic differentiation of BMSCs by activating TGF-β/Smads pathway and up-regulating the expression levels of OPN, ALP and OCN genes, thus helping BMSCs to complete osteogenic differentiation. |