The Journal of Practical Medicine ›› 2026, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (13): 2404-2418.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-5725.2026.13.017

• Treatise:Mechanism and Practice • Previous Articles    

Study on the role of the PI3K/AKT pathway in the regulation of osteogenesis on the surface of calcium phosphate ceramics by erythropoietin

Xuefei XIANG1,Heyou GAO1,2,Zhiyun CHEN1,Qingchuang HU1,Liu HE1,Yu WANG1,2()   

  1. 1.School of Stomatology,Guizhou Medical University,Guiyang 550004,Guizhou,China
    2.Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery,Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Guizhou Medical University,Guiyang 550004,Guizhou,China
  • Received:2026-02-10 Online:2026-07-10 Published:2026-07-14
  • Contact: Yu WANG E-mail:wangyuscu@foxmail.com

Abstract:

Objective To explore the osteogenic efficacy and molecular mechanism of the EPO/pDA/BCP composite scaffold, this study focuses on verifying whether it promotes the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and the repair of critical bone defects in vivo by activating the PI3K/AKT pathway and up-regulating MTSS1 and CYTL1. Methods The EPO/pDA/BCP composite material was fabricated by grafting dopamine and erythropoietin onto a biphasic calcium phosphate scaffold. In in-vitro experiments, four groups were established: the control group, the BCP group, the EPO/pDA/BCP group, and the EPO/pDA/BCP + LY294002 group with the addition of a PI3K/AKT pathway inhibitor. The cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation capacity were assessed using the CCK-8 method, alkaline phosphatase activity assay, RT-qPCR, and Western blotting. The expression levels of the PI3K/AKT pathway and its downstream genes MTSS1 and CYTL1 were determined by RT-qPCR and Western blotting. In in-vivo experiments, a critical bone defect model of the femoral condyle in SD rats was created and randomly assigned to the blank group, the BCP group, and the EPO/pDA/BCP group for intervention. At 4 and 12 weeks after surgery, Micro-CT, hematoxylin-eosin staining, Masson staining, and immunohistochemical analysis were carried out to evaluate bone regeneration. Results The CCK-8 experiment verified that the EPO/pDA/BCP composite material exhibited excellent biocompatibility. The outcomes of the alkaline phosphatase activity assay, RT-qPCR, and Western blot demonstrated that, in comparison with the BCP group and the control group, the EPO/pDA/BCP group could notably promote the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs (P 0.05). Following the addition of the inhibitor LY294002, the osteogenic effect was markedly weakened, and the expression of molecules associated with the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway (p-PI3K, p-AKT, CYTL1, and MTSS1) was down-regulated (P 0.05). Micro-CT scanning revealed that the new bone volume fraction and bone density in the bone defect area of the EPO/pDA/BCP group were significantly higher than those of the blank group and the BCP group (P 0.05). Histological staining results suggested that the bone tissue regeneration in the EPO/pDA/BCP group was more comprehensive and mature than that in the other two groups. Immunohistochemical staining further indicated that the positive staining intensities of the osteogenic markers bone morphogenetic protein-2 and osteocalcin in the bone defect area of the EPO/pDA/BCP group were significantly higher than those of the BCP group and the blank control group. Conclusion The EPO/pDA/BCP bioceramic exhibits excellent osteogenic properties both in vitro and in vivo, and this effect might be associated with the activation of the expression of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway proteins.

Key words: biphasic calcium phosphate, erythropoietin, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, osteogenic differentiation, PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

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