Abstract

To probe curcumin action on the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and its possible molecular mechanism. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were osteogenic induced for 14 d. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting analysis were utilized for the detection of microRNA-148a, alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and osteopontin levels in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells after curcumin incubation for 14 d. After curcumin treatment, the proliferation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells was notably rose, and contents of alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and osteopontin in osteogenic induced-human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were elevated. Curcumin treatment elevated microRNA-148a expression. Overexpression of microRNA-148a could boost human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells proliferation, and increased alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and osteopontin contents in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells during osteogenesis induction. Down-regulation of microRNA-148a reversed the promoting effect of curcumin on human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells proliferation and the levels of alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and osteopontin in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells during osteogenesis induction (p<0.05). Curcumin promoted the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by up-regulating microRNA-148a.