Effects of 17β-estradiol on osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells and adipocytic trans-differentiation of osteoblasts

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of 17 β-estradiol on the osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation of primary mouse bone marrow stromal cells(MSCs)and the adipocytic trans-differentiation of primary mouse osteoblasts(OBs). METHODS: 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide(MTT) was used to study the effects of 17 β-estradiol on the growth of MSCs and OBs, alkaline phosphatase(ALP)activity assay was used to study the effects of 17 β-estradiol on osteogenic differentiation of MSCs, and Oil Red O assay was used to study the effects of 17 β-estradiol on the adipogenic differentiation of MSCs and adipocytic trans-differentiation of OBs. RESULTS: 17 β-estradiol promoted the proliferation of primary mouse bone marrow stromal cells and primary mouse osteoblasts at the concentrations of 1 × 10^-8, 1 × 10^-7, 5 × 10^-7, 1 × 10^-6, 5 × 10^-6 and 1 × 10 ^-5 mol·L^-1(P <0.05). 17 β-estradiol promoted osteogenic differentiation and inhibited the adipogenic differentiation of MSCs at the concentrations of 5 × 10^-7, 1 × 10 ^-6, 5 × 10^-6 and 1 × 10^-5 mol·L^-1, but inhibited the osteogenic differentiation and promoted adipogenic differentiation of MSCs at the concentration of 1 × 10^-7 mol·L^-1 (P <0.05). 17 β-estradiol inhibited the adipocytic transdifferentiation of OBs at the concentrations of 1 × 10^-8, 5 × 10^-7, 1 × 10^-6, 1 × 10^-5 mol·L^-1(P <0.05). CONCLUSION: 17 β-estradiol can modulate the differentiation of marrow stromal cells to cause a lineage shift toward the osteoblast and away from the adipocyte and inhibit the adipocytic trans-differentiation of osteoblasts.