Activation of Nrf2 by sulfuretin stimulates chondrocyte differentiation and increases bone lengths in zebrafish

BMB Rep. 2023 Sep;56(9):496-501. doi: 10.5483/BMBRep.2023-0056.

Abstract

Elongation of most bones occur at the growth plate through endochondral ossification in postnatal mammals. The maturation of chondrocyte is a crucial factor in longitudinal bone growth, which is regulated by a complex network of paracrine and endocrine signaling pathways. Here, we show that a phytochemical sulfuretin can stimulate hypertrophic chondrocyte differentiation in vitro and in vivo. We found that sulfuretin stabilized nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2), stimulated its transcriptional activity, and induced expression of its target genes. Sulfuretin treatment resulted in an increase in body length of zebrafish larvae and induced the expression of chondrocyte markers. Consistently, a clinically available Nrf2 activator, dimethyl fumarate (DMF), induced the expression of hypertrophic chondrocyte markers and increased the body length of zebrafish. Importantly, we found that chondrocyte gene expression in cell culture and skeletal growth in zebrafish stimulated by sulfuretin were significantly abrogated by Nrf2 depletion, suggesting that such stimulatory effects of sulfuretin were dependent on Nrf2, at least in part. Taken together, these data show that sulfuretin has a potential use as supporting ingredients for enhancing bone growth. [BMB Reports 2023; 56(9): 496-501].

Publication types

  • News

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Chondrocytes*
  • Mammals
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2*
  • Zebrafish

Substances

  • sulfuretin
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2

Grants and funding

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), funded by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (NRF-2020R1A2B5B02001592 to K.W.P., NRF-2020R1I1A1A 01074938 to U.J.Y., and NRF-2022R1I1A2071529 to J.-S.L.). This study was also partly supported by KRIBB Research Initiative Program (KGM5352322, KGM2112335, KGM9992312, KGM1382312) to J.-S.L.