Previous studies suggest that icariin has anabolic effects on bone, but the mechanisms are unknown. We aimed to investigate the osteogenic effects of icariin in an undifferentiated osteoblast cell line by detecting cell morphology, viability, cell cycling and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) expression. We treated pre-osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells with different concentrations of icariin [0 (as a control), 10, 20 and 40 ng/ml] for 48, 72 and 96 h. Cell morphology, viability and the cell cycle were examined and measured using microscopy, the MTT assay or flow cytometry, respectively. BMP-2-positive cells and BMP-2 protein expression levels in icariin-treated MC3T3-E1 cells were examined using immunohistochemistry staining with fluorescence optical density analysis and Western blotting. MC3T3-E1 cells showed typical characteristics of osteoblasts in response to treatment with icariin. Cells treated with all concentrations of icariin had increased percentages of S-phase cells and decreased percentages of G1-phase cells, especially in the 10 and 20 ng/ml icariin groups. The number of BMP-2-positive cells and BMP-2 protein expression levels in the 10 and 20 ng/ml icariin treatment groups were greater compared to the 0 and 40 ng/ml groups. Treatment of icariin promotes osteoblast MC3T3-E1 proliferation and differentiation in vitro, potentially owing to its role in increasing BMP-2 protein expression. Icariin potentially can be used as a drug in clinical settings to treat osteoporosis.

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