Deer antler extract promotes tibia fracture healing in mice by activating BMP-2/SMAD4 signaling pathway

Background: Deer antler is a traditional Chinese medicine with the function of tonifying kidney and strengthening bone, which is often used to treat orthopedic diseases.

Methods: Eight-week-old C57BL/6 mice were used as the fixation model of open tibial fracture with intramedullary nail. The mice were treated with deer antler extract (DAE) or PBS by oral gavage once daily. The tibial fracture samples were collected and performed to the tissue analysis, including X-ray, micro-CT, histology, qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry. MC3T3-E1 cells were used to detect the effect of deer antler extract on ability of cell proliferation and migration by CCK-8 assay and cell scratch test.

Results: Imaging and micro-CT showed that DAE could promote the healing of tibial fracture in mice, and histological analysis showed that DAE could promote the transformation of cartilage callus to bone callus in fracture area. The results of qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry showed that DAE could promote intrachondral ossification in fracture zone and the mechanism of promoting fracture healing may be related to the activation of BMP-2/SMAD4 signaling pathway. In the cytological experiment of DAE, it can be found that DAE promoted the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells and the migration of MC3T3-E1 cells at a certain concentration, which is also related to the promotion of fracture healing by DAE.

Conclusion: DAE can promote fracture healing by activating BMP-2/SMAD4 signaling pathway. DAE has the potential to be used in clinic as an important means of promoting fracture healing.

BMP-2/SMAD4 signaling pathway; Deer antler extract; Fracture healing; MC3T3-E1 cells.