Dexamethasone Induces Apoptosis of Primary Cultured Osteoblasts

Objective: To investigate the effect of glucocorticoids on cell viability of osteoblasts and explore the cytological and molecular mechanisms of osteoblasts apoptosis induced by Glucocorticoids. Methods: Dexamethasone was used to induce apoptosis of primary cultured osteoblast-like cells from skulls of suckling mouse. Surviving rate of cells, apoptosis rate, activity of Caspase-3 and DNA binding activity of nuclear factor-κB were assessed respectively. Results: It was found that Dexamethasone increased apoptosis rate of osteoblast-like cells, activated Caspase-3 while inhibited the activity of NF-κB, in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner. Conclusion: These results suggested that Dexamethasone induced apoptosis of primary cultured and non-transformed osteoblasts, which was Caspase-3 dependent, while NF-κB might play a protective role in the process through inhibition of Caspase-3.