Moderate SMFs attenuate bone loss in mice by promoting directional osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs

Abstract Background Osteoporosis is a common metabolic bone disease without effective treatment. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have the potential to differentiate into multiple cell types. Increased adipogenic differentiation or reduced osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs might lead to osteoporosis. Whether static magnetic fields (SMFs) might influence the adipo-osteogenic differentiation balance of BMSCs remains unknown. Methods The effects of SMFs on lineage differentiation of BMSCs and development of osteoporosis were determined by various biochemical (RT-PCR and Western blot), morphological (staining and optical microscopy), and micro-CT assays. Bioinformatics analysis was also used to explore the signaling pathways. Results In this study, we found that SMFs (0.2–0.6 T) inhibited the adipogenic differentiation of BMSCs but promoted their osteoblastic differentiation in an intensity-dependent manner. Whole genomic RNA-seq and bioinformatics analysis revealed that SMF (0.6 T) decreased the PPARγ-mediated gene expression but increased the RUNX2-mediated gene transcription in BMSCs. Moreover, SMFs markedly alleviated bone mass loss induced by either dexamethasone or all-trans retinoic acid in mice. Conclusions Taken together, our results suggested that SMF-based magnetotherapy might serve as an adjunctive therapeutic option for patients with osteoporosis.