Effect of tumor necrosis factor-α on the nitric oxide level in cultured osteoblasts in vitro

Objective: To explore the level of nitric oxide( NO) in osteoblasts treated with different concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α( TNF-α). Methods: The osteoblasts were cultured and identified. The NO level in cultured supernafants in osteoblasts treated with different concentrations of TNF-α was measured. Results: The level of the NO was increased with the increase of concentration of TNF-α,which was the maximum at 10 μg / L of TNF-α. The level of the NO began to decrease with the increase of processing time and concentration of TNF-α( P 0. 05 to P 0. 01). Conclusions: TNF-α can induce the expression of NO,but TNF-α can not countine to increase the expression of NO with the increase of its processing time and concentration in cultured osteoblasts.