Abstract objective This study intends to explore the role of PI3K-AKT signaling pathway in the effect of Puerarin on the proliferation, activity, and function of osteoclasts from the perspective of antioxidation. Methods RAW264. 7 cells were divided into control group, induction group treated with 20ng/mL M-CSF and 50ng/mL RANKL, puerarin group treated with 20ng/mL M-CSF, 50ng/mL RANKL, and 50μmol/L puerarin. The staining of osteoclasts before and after puerarin intervention was measured by TRAP staining and cell count. The changes of related molecules before and after puerarin intervention in osteoclasts were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western Blot, including TRAP, MMP-9, Cathepsin K, NFATc1, PTEN, Catalase, PI3K, AKT, P-AKT(ser473), FoxO1, P-FoxO1. Results TRAP staining showed that puerarin inhibited the proliferation and differentiation of RAW264.7 cells into osteoclasts. The results of qRT-PCR and WB showed that compared with the control group, the gene expression of TRAP, MMP-9, cathepsin K and NFATc1 in the induction group was up-regulated, while the gene expression of Catalase was down-regulated. PTEN gene had no significant changes before and after puerarin intervention. The expression of P-AKT (ser473) and NFATc1 protein was up-regulated, while the expression of PI3K and AKT protein had no change. Compared with the induction group, the gene expression of TRAP, MMP-9, Cathepsin K, and NFATc1 in the puerarin group decreased, the gene expression of Catalase increased, the protein expression of PI3K and AKT remained unchanged, the protein expression of P-AKT (ser473), P-FoxO1 and NFATc1 decreased, and the protein expression of FoxO1 and Catalase increased. Conclusion Puerarin may promote the transcriptional activity of FoxO1, increase the expression of catalase protein and exert its antioxidant activity by regulating the PI3K-AKT signal pathway, so as to inhibit the proliferation and differentiation of osteoclasts.

Effect of Puerarin on PI3K-AKT Signaling Pathway in Osteoclast