Curcumin promotes osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells via the miR-206/Hdac4 signaling axis

Osteoporosis is characterized by an imbalance between osteoblast-mediated bone formation and osteoclast-driven bone resorption, where decreased osteogenic differentiation coupled with excessive osteoclastic activity leads to progressive bone loss and microarchitectural deterioration. This study investigated the regulatory effects of curcumin on osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and its underlying molecular mechanisms. Collectively, our data establish that curcumin exerts its pro-osteogenic effects via the miR-206 /Hdac4 signaling cascade, providing mechanistic insight into its potential in vitro bone-protective properties. Our experimental data further demonstrate that curcumin treatment significantly upregulates miR-206 expression while downregulating Hdac4 levels in BMSCs, resulting in enhanced osteogenic differentiation capacity. The optimal concentration of curcumin was determined using CCK-8 assays. Subsequent mechanistic investigations through Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR analyses elucidated the regulatory relationship between curcumin and the miR-206 /Hdac4 signaling axis. Functional validation via alkaline phosphatase staining and alizarin red S mineralization assays supported that curcumin promoted osteogenic activity and mineralization potential of BMSCs. This study suggests that curcumin promotes osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs in vitro and may have potential relevance for bone biology through the miR-206 /Hdac4 signaling axis.