AMP1-1 derived from Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz prevents bone aging triggered by lead and cadmium

As the major pollutants of industrial wastewater, lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) contaminate the environment and lead to bone aging when combined. To elucidate the potential mechanism by which Pb and Cd accelerate bone aging and to screen effective protective agents, we determined the optimum concentrations of Pb and Cd to establish the aging models in vitro and in vivo. The successful establishment of aging models was confirmed through β-galactosidase (β-gal) staining, the detection of aging markers, and the evaluation of biomechanical parameters. Subsequently, the polysaccharides were extracted separately from seven plants and Atractylodes macrocephala polysaccharide (AMP) was confirmed to have the strongest effect on osteoblast proliferation. Therefore, we purified AMP to obtain a small molecular fragment called AMP1-1 and investigated its effect. It has been revealed that AMP1-1 could resist oxidative stress and promote the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts, thereby slowing apoptosis and alleviating cell senescence through the results of the β-gal staining and the analyses of the osteoblastic, antioxidant, apoptotic, and senescence indexes. The results in vivo suggested that AMP1-1 exerted a protective role in bone aging by inhibiting the above pathways. Consequently, AMP1-1 has theoretical significance for further development of biological protective agents against heavy metal pollution.