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Gamma-tocotrienol stimulates the proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells

  • Weili Xu
    ,
  • Pan He
    ,
  • Shenghua He
    ,
  • Pengju Cui
    ,
  • Yaqing Mi
    ,
  • Yang Yang
  • Harbin Institute of Technology
    ,
  • Harbin Medical University
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Open access

Abstract

Gamma-tocotrienol, a major component of tocotrienol-rich fraction of palm oil, has been suggested to exhibit bone protective effects in vivo. However, the effects of γ-tocotrienol on osteoblast cells are still unclear. In this study, the effects of γ-tocotrienol on the proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells were investigated. Our results showed that γ-tocotrienol (2–8 μmol/L) significantly improved the cell proliferation (), but it did not affect cell cycle progression. γ-Tocotrienol significantly increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity (), secretion levels of osteocalcin (OC) and osteonectin (ON), and mRNA levels of collagen type I (Col I) of MC3T3-E1 cells. Meanwhile, we found that γ-tocotrienol is promoted in differentiation MC3T3-E1 cells by upregulation of the expression of Runx2 protein. Moreover, the number of bone nodules increased over 2.5-fold in cells treated with γ-tocotrienol (2–8 μmol/L) for 24 d compared to control group. These results indicated that γ-tocotrienol at low dose levels, especially 4 μmol/L, could markedly enhance the osteoblastic function by increasing the proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. Moreover, our data also indicated that Runx2 protein may be involved in these effects. Further studies are needed to determine the potential of γ-tocotrienol as an antiosteoporotic agent.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Journal of Chemistry (Volume 2018)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 15/01/2018

Publication status

Published - 15/01/2018

ISSN

2090-9063

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/622463
  • Scopus: 85045956872

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