| Objective To investigate the effect of the Qing'e pill on the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in a mouse model of diabetic osteoporosis (DOP). Methods Mice were fed with high-sugar and high-fat diet combined with intra-abdominal injection of streptozotocin to establish a DOP mouse model. The mice were divided into blank group, model group, Qing'e pill low-dose group, Qing'e medium-dose group, Qing'e pill high-dose group, and alendronate group. The levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), urea nitrogen (BUN), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in each group were measured with biochemistry. The expression levels of Wnt1, β-catenin, and Runx2 in the femur were measured with immunohistochemistry. The expression levels of GSK-3β, low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5), and COL1A1 mRNA in the femoral tissues were measured with qPCR. Results Compared with mice in the control group, the model mice showed increased bone trabecular septum, decreased connections between bone trabeculae, more drink and less urination and move, increased tail vein glucose values (P<0.01), increased serum levels of ALP, BUN, AST, and GSK-3β mRNA (P<0.01), and down-regulated body weight and LRP5 and COL1A1 mRNA levels (P<0.01). Wnt1, β-catenin, and Runx2 proteins showed a small amount of positive expression (P<0.01). Compared with mice in the model group, mice in the Qing'e pill group and alendronate group showed smaller bone trabecular septa, increased inter-trabecular connections, decreased tail vein glucose values (P<0.01), decreased serum levels of ALP, BUN, AST, and GSK-3β mRNA (P<0.01), up-regulated body weight and LRP5, COL1A1 mRNA levels (P<0.01), Wnt1, and β-catenin, and Runx2 protein positive expression was increased (P<0.01). Conclusion Qing'e pill enhances the repairing effect of bone tissue in DOP mice. The mechanism may be related to its activation of Wnt1/β-catenin signaling pathway. |