Aqueous extract of freeze-dried Protaetia brevitarsis larvae promotes osteogenesis by activating β-catenin signaling

• Published in: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine
• Main Authors: Jayasingha Arachchige Chathuranga Chanaka Jayasingha, Kyoung Tae Lee, Yung Hyun Choi, Chang-Hee Kang, Mi-Hwa Lee, Gi-Young Kim
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2022
• Subjects: protaetia brevitarsis; osteoblast differentiation; bone formation; β-catenin; mc3t3-e1; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Biology (General); QH301-705.5; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.4103/2221-1691.338920; https://doaj.org/article/507ea639493e4b3b9615e6056570f081

Objective: To investigate the effect of an aqueous extract of Protaetia brevitarsis (AEPB) on osteogenesis using preosteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells and zebrafish larvae. Methods: Flow cytometric analysis was used to measure the cytotoxicy. Alkaline phosphatase activity was detetmined using p-nitrophenyl phosphate as a substrate. Calcium deposition was detected using alizarin red staining along with osteogenic marker expression in preosteoblast MC3T3E1 cells. In addition, vertebral formation in zebrafish larvae was detected using calcein staining and osteogenic gene expression. Results: AEPB highly promoted the expression of osteogenic markers including runt-related transcription factor 2, osterix, and alkaline phosphatase, along with elevated levels of mineralization in MC3T3-E1 cells. Moreover, AEPB accelerated vertebral formation in zebrafish larvae accompanied by upregulated expression of osteogenic genes. FH535, an inhibitor of Wnt/β-catenin, suppressed AEPB-induced osteogenic gene expression and vertebral formation, indicating that AEPB stimulates osteogenesis by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Conclusions: AEPB stimulates osteoblast differentiation and bone formation by activating β-catenin. Therefore, AEPB is a promising material that induces osteogenesis, and is useful for the treatment of bone resorption diseases.