Simvastatin promotes the proliferation and mineralization of osteoblasts cultured in vitro

Objective: To study the effect of Simvastatin on the proliferation and mineralization of cultured rat calvaria osteoblasts(RCOBs).Methods: RCOBs were cultured in vitro by an enzyme-digestion method and treated with Simvastatin and rhBMP-2 in series gradient of concentration for 24 hours.Then the viability and proliferation of RCOBs were determined by MTT assay.After implantation in a 12-well microtiter plate for 7 days,the mineralization nodes were stained by the von Kossa method.Photos were transferred into a black-white style and the mean mineralization area ratio was measured.Results: Simvastatin could not only stimulate the proliferation of the RCOBs in a dose-dependent manner,but also increased the mineralization ratio compared with the control group,which mimicked rhBMP-2.Conclusion: Simvastatin can promote the proliferation and mineralization of RCOBs in vitro,which may partially be attributed to the osteogenesis mechanism of statins.