Icariin Augments Bone Formation and Reverses the Phenotypes of Osteoprotegerin-Deficient Mice through the Activation of Wnt/β-Catenin-BMP Signaling
Figure 2
Icariin prevented bone loss in OPG-deficient mice. Fourth lumbar vertebrae (L4) samples were obtained from mice of the following groups: (1) OPG wild-type mice with vehicle control (WT + VEH), (2) OPG knockout mice with vehicle control (KO + VEH), and (3) OPG knockout mice with Icariin (KO + ICN, 5 mg/kg/day). Data were expressed as mean ± SD, . (a) uCT analysis data of L4 samples showed that Icariin prevented bone loss in OPG-deficient mice. (b) Histologic sections of L4 samples stained with Orange G were obtained and analyzed. Bone histomorphometric analysis showed that trabecular bone volume (BV/TV, %) (c) and Trabecular number (Tb. N, 1/mm) (d) were significantly increased in Icariin-treated OPG KO mice, compared to the vehicle-treated OPG KO mice. TRAP staining showed that Icariin significantly decreased osteoclast number in OPG KO mice (e). , unpaired Student’s t-test (OPG KO + VEH group versus OPG WT + VEH group) and , unpaired Student’s t-test (OPG KO + ICN group versus OPG KO + VEH group).
