Resveratrol can enhance osteogenic differentiation and mitochondrial biogenesis from human periosteum-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Background: Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disorder that leads to low bone mass and microstructural deterioration of bone tissue and increases bone fractures. Resveratrol, a natural polyphenol compound, has pleiotropic effects including anti-oxidative, anti-aging, and anti-cancer effects. Resveratrol also has roles in increasing osteogenesis and in upregulating mitochondrial biogenesis of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs). However, it is still unclear that resveratrol can enhance osteogenic differentiation or mitochondrial biogenesis of periosteum-derived MSCs (PO-MSCs), which play key roles in bone tissue maintenance and fracture healing. Thus, in order to test a possible preventive or therapeutic effect of resveratrol on osteoporosis, this study investigated the effects of resveratrol treatments on osteogenic differentiation and mitochondrial biogenesis of PO-MSCs.

Methods: The optimal doses of resveratrol treatment on PO-MSCs were determined by cell proliferation and viability assays. Osteogenic differentiation of PO-MSCs under resveratrol treatment was assessed by alkaline phosphatase activities (ALP, an early biomarker of osteogenesis) as well as by extracellular calcium deposit levels (a late biomarker). Mitochondrial biogenesis during osteogenic differentiation of PO-MSCs was measured by quantifying both mitochondrial mass and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) contents.

Results: Resveratrol treatments above 10 μM seem to have negative effects on cell proliferation and viability of PO-MSCs. Resveratrol treatment (at 5 μM) on PO-MSCs during osteogenic differentiation increased both ALP activities and calcium deposits compared to untreated control groups, demonstrating an enhancing effect of resveratrol on osteogenesis. In addition, resveratrol treatment (at 5 μM) during osteogenic differentiation of PO-MSCs increased both mitochondrial mass and mtDNA copy numbers, indicating that resveratrol can bolster mitochondrial biogenesis in the process of PO-MSC osteogenic differentiation.

Conclusion: Taken together, the findings of this study describe the roles of resveratrol in promoting osteogenesis and mitochondrial biogenesis of human PO-MSCs suggesting a possible application of resveratrol as a supplement for osteoporosis and/or osteoporotic fractures.