Apocynin stimulates osteoblast differentiation and inhibits bone-resorbing mediators in MC3T3-E1 cells

Apocynin is a naturally occurring methoxy-substituted catechol, experimentally used as an inhibitor of NADPH-oxidase. In the present study, the effect of apocynin on the function of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells was studied. Apocynin caused a significant elevation of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, collagen content, and mineralization in the cells (P < 0.05). Antimycin A (AMA), which inhibits complex III of the electron transport system, has been used as a reactive oxygen species (ROS) generator in biological systems. We exposed cultured osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells to AMA with or without pretreatment with apocynin. Apocynin significantly (P < 0.05) increased cell survival, calcium deposition, and osteoprotegerin release and decreased the production of ROS and osteoclast differentiation inducing factors such as TNF-α, IL-6, and receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB ligand (RANKL) in the presence of AMA. These results demonstrate that apocynin can protect osteoblasts from mitochondrial dysfunction-induced toxicity and may have positive effects on skeletal structure.