1. Academic Validation
  2. Quercetin protects against iron overload-induced osteoporosis through activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway

Quercetin protects against iron overload-induced osteoporosis through activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway

  • Life Sci. 2023 Jan 10;121326. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.121326.
Jiacong Xiao 1 Gangyu Zhang 2 Bohao Chen 1 Qi He 1 Jiale Mai 1 Weijian Chen 1 Zhaofeng Pan 1 Junzheng Yang 1 Jianliang Li 1 Yanhuai Ma 1 Ting Wang 1 Haibin Wang 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 1st School of Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 12 Jichang Road, Baiyun District, Guangzhou 510405, PR China; The Laboratory of Orthopaedics and Traumatology of Lingnan Medical Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, PR China.
  • 2 1st School of Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 12 Jichang Road, Baiyun District, Guangzhou 510405, PR China; Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: zhang13751880597@163.com.
  • 3 Department of Orthopaedics, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 12 Jichang Road, Baiyun District, Guangzhou 510405, PR China. Electronic address: hipman@163.com.
Abstract

Aims: Eucommia is the tree bark of Eucommia japonica, family Eucommiaceae. In traditional Chinese medicine, Eucommia is often used to treat osteoporosis. Quercetin (QUE), a major flavonoid extract of Eucommia japonica, has been reported to have anti-osteoporosis effects. However, there are no studies reporting the mechanism of QUE in the treatment of iron overload-induced osteoporosis. This study set out to investigate the therapeutic effects of QUE against iron overload-induced bone loss and its potential molecular mechanisms.

Materials and methods: In vitro, MC3T3-E1 cells were used to study the effects of QUE on osteogenic differentiation, anti-apoptosis and anti-oxidative stress damage in an iron overload environment (FAC 200 μM). In vivo, we constructed an iron overload mouse model by injecting iron dextrose intraperitoneally and assessed the osteoprotective effects of QUE by Micro-CT and histological analysis.

Key findings: In vitro, we found that QUE increased the ALP activity of MC3T3-E1 cells in iron overload environment, promoted the formation of bone mineralized nodules and upregulated the expression of Runx2 and Osterix. In addition, QUE was able to reduce FAC-induced Apoptosis and ROS production, down-regulated the expression of Caspase3 and Bax, and up-regulated the expression of Bcl-2. In further studies, we found that QUE activated the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and attenuated FAC-induced oxidative stress damage. The results of the in vivo study showed that QUE was able to reduce iron deposition induced by iron dextrose and attenuate bone loss.

Significance: Our results suggested that QUE protects against iron overload-induced osteoporosis by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

Keywords

Iron overload; Nrf2/HO-1 pathway; Osteoporosis; Oxidative stress; Quercetin.

Figures
Products