Effects of Bauhinia championii (Benth.) Benth. polysaccharides on the proliferation and cell cycle of chondrocytes

Mol Med Rep. 2013 May;7(5):1624-30. doi: 10.3892/mmr.2013.1368. Epub 2013 Mar 13.

Abstract

It has been recently shown that polysaccharides isolated from plants exhibit a number of beneficial therapeutic properties. Bauhinia championii (Benth.) Benth. has been widely used for the clinical treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA) in China. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of knee OA treatment have yet to be elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the effects of Bauhinia championii (Benth.) Benth. polysaccharides (BCBPs) on the proliferation and cell cycle of chondrocytes on 4-week-old male Sprague Dawley rats. Immunohistochemical staining was used to identify chondrocytes and an MTT assay was used to evaluate cell viability. Flow cytometry was used for cell cycle analysis. The mRNA and protein expression levels of cyclin D1, CDK4 and CDK6 in chondrocytes were detected using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot analysis, respectively. The data demonstrate that BCBP treatment increased the viability of chondrocytes. In addition, BCBP treatment reduced the cell population in the G0/G1 phase, whereas the cell population was increased in the S phase. Furthermore, BCBP treatment enhanced the expression of cyclin D1, CDK4 and CDK6. These results indicate that BCBP treatment promotes cell proliferation by accelerating the G1/S transition.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bauhinia / chemistry*
  • Cell Cycle / drug effects*
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Shape / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Chondrocytes / cytology*
  • Chondrocytes / drug effects*
  • Chondrocytes / metabolism
  • Cyclin D1 / genetics
  • Cyclin D1 / metabolism
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 / genetics
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 / metabolism
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6 / genetics
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6 / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Male
  • Polysaccharides / pharmacology*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Substances

  • Polysaccharides
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Cyclin D1
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6