观察了三七三醇皂苷（PTS）对小鼠胚胎成骨细胞MC3T3-E1成骨功能、间质矿化及凋亡的影响,并初步探讨其作用机制。MTT法显示PTS对成骨细胞增殖没有明显的影响;对硝基苯磷酸盐法（PNPP）显示,成骨细胞分化早期,高浓度PTS可使碱性磷酸酶活性增高,其中10μg/mL组效应最强,且这一作用可被雌激素受体阻断剂ICI182780所阻断;RT-PCR实验证实,较高浓度PTS可显著增强骨钙素的基因表达;VonKossa染色法显示,连续给药处理细胞28d,PTS各组矿化结节形成数量均有增多趋势;用流式细胞仪检测PTS对血清饥饿诱导的成骨细胞凋亡的影响,1,10μg/mL的PTS凋亡细胞百分率明显下降。结果表明,PTS具有促进成骨细胞分化、矿化和抑制凋亡的活性,且其促分化作用可能与雌激素样作用有关,提示PTS具有潜在的抗骨质疏松作用。 

The purpose of this paper was to study the effects of panaxatriol saponins (PTS) on osteoblasts, mineralization and apoptosis. MTT, p-nitropheneye phosphate, RT-PCR and Von Kossa staining was used to observe the effects of PTS on cell viability, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, osteocalcin (OC) mRNA expression and mineralization of MC3T3-E1 cells. The serum deprivation-induced apoptosis of osteoblasts was determined by flow cytometry. Compared with the control group, there was no significant difference of cell viability in all experimental groups. Higher doses of of PTS could improve ALP activity obviously compared with the control group during early differentiation phase of MC3T3-E1 cells, among which 10 μg/mL of PTS had the strongest promoting effect However, the stimulating effect of ALP activity of MC3T3-E1 cells by PTS was blockaded by estrogen receptor antagonist ICI 182780. After 21 days of treatment, higher doses of PTS could markedly increase the mRNA expression of OC. Besides, the number of mineralized nodules increased at different levels in MC3T3-E1 cells after 28-day incubation with different concentrations of PTS. 1 μg/mL and 10 μg/mL PTS could significantly inhibit serum deprivation-induced apoptosis of MC3T3-E1 cells. All these suggested that PTS could effectively promote the differentiation and mineralization of osteoblasts and inhibit their apoptosis, and might act as an estrogen agonist in MC3T3-E1 cells, potentially capable of being developed as anti-osteoporosis agents.