The aqueous extract of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi regulates the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells

This study aimed to investigate the effect of another formula of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi (FLL), the aqueous extract of FLL (AFLL), on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and thus in bone development. MSCs were isolated and primarily cultured from human bone marrow. The osteogenic differentiation of MSCs was evaluated by assessing the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and the level of mineralization. Adipogenic differentiation of MSCs was evaluated by the formation of fat droplets. Treatment of AFLL was carried out during osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation. The expression of various genes was examined by RT-PCR and real-time PCR. Representative data from three independent experiments were collected and analyzed by the independent-samples t-test. AFLL could significantly enhance the ALP activity, mineralization level and the expression of osteopontin in the MSCs. These indicate a promoting and enhancing effcct of AFLL on MSCs. Concurrently, AFLL was found to inhibit the adipogenesis of MSCs in a dose dependent manner. Our study suggested for the first time that AFLL could regulate bone formation via the modulation of MSCs’ differentiation. The AFLL might be a potential agent to employ in bone/tissue regeneration and engineering.