EFFECT OF CARDIOSPERMUM HALICACABUM ON RUNX2 mRNA EXPRESSION IN OSTEOBLAST CELLS

Abstract

Cardiospermum halicacabum C halicacabum is a Sapindaceae herb native to India Africa and South America that has long been utilized in traditional medicine. According to folk medicine these plants possess a variety of properties including analgesic anti inflammatory antibacterial antioxidant and antitumor activities. Runx2 plays a crucial role in osteoblast differentiation. It is involved in the regulation of the expression of osteocalcin the only gene expressed in osteoblasts and not in other extracellular matrix ECM producing cells. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of ethanolic extract of Cardiospermum halicacabum on the expression of Runx2 in SaOs2 human osteoblast like cells. The osteoblast like cells SaOs2 were treated with different doses of ethanolic leaf extract of C halicacabum 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100 and 1000 µg ml and assessed for cell proliferation. Cell proliferation was studied by MTT assay at 24 and 48 hours. The cells were then treated with either vehicle 0.01 percent DMSO or C halicacabum 2.0 and 20 µg ml and assessed for the mRNA and protein expression of the major transcription factor Runx2 in osteoblasts using real time RT PCR and western blot analyses respectively. Our findings demonstrate that C halicacabum increased the proliferation and mRNA expression of Runx2 in osteoblast like cells. In conclusion the present study demonstrates for the first time that ethanolic extract of C halicacabum facilitates Runx2 mRNA expression in osteoblast cells.