Ishige Sinicola Extract Stimulates Osteoblast Proliferation and Differentiation via the Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2/Runt-Related Gene 2 Signaling Pathway

The document describes a study that examined the impact of Ishige sinicola extract (ISE) on the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts, which are essential for bone formation and could be relevant for osteoporosis treatment. The study found that ISE enhanced the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 osteoblast cells in a dose-dependent manner and significantly increased the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and mineralization, as shown by alizarin red S staining. Additionally, ISE was found to up-regulate the osteoprotegerin/receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (OPG/RANKL) ratio and increase the protein expression levels of several bone-related markers, including type 1 collagen, ALP, osteocalcin, osterix, BMP-2, and Runx2. These findings suggest that ISE promotes bone formation by stimulating the BMP-2/Runx2 signaling pathway, indicating its potential as a natural agent for preventing and treating osteoporosis. The study was conducted on cell lines, not human subjects, and did not specify the number of cells used.