| Objective To explore the regulatory effect of daidzein on Hedgehog signal pathway in osteoporosis (OP) model rats, and to analyze the effect of daidzein on matrix metalloproteinase metabolism in OP rats. Methods Sixty female SPF Wistar rats were randomly divided into blank group, model group, and daidzein low, medium, and high dose treatment groups, with 12 rats in each group. Except for rats in the blank group, rats in the other four groups were ovariectomized to establish OP model. Intervention treatment was started after successful modeling. Rats in the blank group and model group received equal doses of normal saline by gavage. Rats in the others received low, medium, or high doses of daidzein for 12 weeks. The serum contents of estrogen (E2), osteocalcin (BGP), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were detected. Matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) and matrix metalloproteinase tissue inhibitor-1 (TIMP-1) protein expression were detected with immunohistochemistry. TUNEL method was used to detect the apoptosis of osteocytes in the distal femur of rats in each group. Western blotting and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels of Shh, PTC1, and Gli1 in the femur of rats in each group. Results Daidzein significantly increased the levels of E2 and TIMP-1, reduced apoptosis and the levels of BGP, ALP, and MMP-7 in OP rats. The expression levels of Shh, PTC1, and Gli1 mRNA and protein in the femur improved significantly (P<0.05), and the increase in daidzein treatment groups was dose-dependent (P<0.01). Conclusion Daidzein effectively regulates the metabolic level of matrix metalloproteinases in OP model rats, which may be related to the effective regulation of hedgehog signal pathway. |