AUTHOR=Liu Yuhao , Mo Liang , Lu Hongduo , Wei Yangwenxiang , Zhang Jiahao , Bennett Samuel , Xu Jiake , Zhou Chi , Fang Bin , Chen Zhenqiu 

TITLE=Dragon blood resin ameliorates steroid-induced osteonecrosis of femoral head through osteoclastic pathways

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cell-and-developmental-biology/articles/10.3389/fcell.2023.1202888

DOI=10.3389/fcell.2023.1202888

ISSN=2296-634X

ABSTRACT=Dragon's Blood resin (DBR), also known as Chinese dragon's blood, is a traditional medicinal substance renowned for its diverse pharmacological effects, which include potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and angiogenic properties. The objective of this research is to investigate its mode of action in alleviating steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SIONFH). Through bioinformatic analyses and proteomics technology, key proteins and molecular interactions involved in SIONFH pathology were identified. The findings suggested that osteoclast differentiation played a pivotal role in the development of SIONFH. In vitro experiments demonstrated that DBR suppressed osteoclastogenesis by attenuating the expression of specific genes and proteins, including NFATc1, c-Fos, CTSK, TRX1, and glutathione reductase. Furthermore, DBR impaired important proteins within the TRAF6/JNK signaling pathways, thereby further regulating osteoclast function. Additionally, in vivo experiments confirmed that DBR ameliorated early-stage SIONFH in rats by inhibiting osteoclast and ROS activities. These findings highlight DBR as a potentially promising treatment for early-stage SIONFH, with implications for its therapeutic impact on integral osteoclast-regulatory signaling pathways.