| Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of deoxyschizandrin on ovariectomized osteoporosis rats and its effect on stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1) /CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) signaling pathway. Methods A rat model of osteoporosis was established by ovariectomy. Sixty rats were randomly divided into model group, deoxyschizandrin low dose (20 mg/kg) and high dose (40 mg/kg) group, alendronate sodium (1 mg/kg) group, and deoxyschizandrin high dose + SDF-1/CXCR4 pathway inhibitor (AMD3100, 40 mg/kg+5 mg/kg) group, with 12 rats in each group. Another 12 rats were selected as sham operation group (only exposed the ovaries without removal during the operation). After modeling, rats in each group received corresponding drug intervention, once a day for 12 weeks. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the left and right femur was detected with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Serum levels of C-telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-Ⅰ) and osteocalcin (OC) were detected with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the rat femur. mRNA levels of SDF-1 and CXCR4 in the rat femoral tissue were detected with fluorescence quantitative PCR. Protein levels of SDF-1 and CXCR4 in the rat femoral tissue were detected with Western blotting. Results In the sham operation group, the structure of bone trabeculae in the femoral tissue was normal and arranged regularly. Compared with those in sham operation group, the bone trabeculae in the femoral tissue of the model group rats were sparsely broken, the number was reduced, and the arrangement was disordered. BMD of the left and right femur, serum OC and CTX-Ⅰ levels, and SDF-1 and CXCR4 mRNA and protein levels in the femoral tissue decreased significantly (P<0.05). Compared with those in the model group, the degree of femoral tissue lesions in the deoxyschizandrin low and high dose groups reduced gradually, BMD of the left and right femur, the levels of OC and CTX-Ⅰ in serum, and the levels of SDF-1 and CXCR4 mRNA and protein in the femoral tissue increased gradually (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the pathological changes of the femur and the indicators between alendronate sodium group and deoxyschizandrin high dose group (P>0.05). AMD3100 could reverse the improvement effect of high dose deoxyschizandrin on the above indexes in osteoporosis rats (P<0.05). Conclusion Deoxyschizandrin inhibits the decrease of BMD in osteoporosis rats, reduces the lesion of the femur tissue, and relieves osteoporosis in rats. The mechanism may be related to the activation of SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling pathway. |