Effects of Block Bone Substitutes Loaded with Escherichia Coli-Produced Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 on Space Maintenance and Bone Formation in Rat Calvarial Onlay Model

Abstract

We aimed to evaluate the effects of onlay-type grafted human freeze-dried corticocancellous bone block (FDBB) and deproteinized bovine bone with collagen (DBBC) loaded with Escherichia coli-produced recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (ErhBMP-2) on space maintenance and new bone formation in rat calvaria. Collagen sponge (CS), FDBB, or DBBC disks (8x4 mm) with ErhBMP-2 (2.5 mu g) were implanted onto the calvaria of male Sprague-Dawley rats, whereas CS with buffer was implanted onto the calvaria as controls (n=20/carrier). Rats were killed at 2 or 8 weeks post-surgery for histologic and histomorphometric analyses; total augmented area, new bone area, and bone density were evaluated. At both time-points, all ErhBMP-2 groups showed significantly higher new bone area and bone density than the control group (p<0.05). ErhBMP-2/FDBB and ErhBMP-2/DBBC groups showed significantly higher total augmented area than ErhBMP-2/CS group (8 weeks), and ErhBMP-2/FDBB group showed significantly higher new bone area and bone density than ErhBMP-2/DBBC group (p<0.05). ErhBMP-2/CS group showed the highest bone density (p<0.05). Combining ErhBMP-2 with FDBB or DBBC could significantly improve onlay graft outcomes, by new bone formation and bone density increase. Moreover, onlay-grafted FDBB and DBBC with ErhBMP-2 could be an alternative to autogenous block onlay bone graft.