Biomacromolecules as carriers in drug delivery and tissue engineering

Natural biomacromolecules have attracted increased attention as carriers in biomedicine in recent years because of their inherent biochemical and biophysical properties including renewability, nontoxicity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, long blood circulation time and targeting ability. Recent advances in our understanding of the biological functions of natural-origin biomacromolecules and the progress in the study of biological drug carriers indicate that such carriers may have advantages over synthetic material-based carriers in terms of half-life, stability, safety and ease of manufacture. In this review, we give a brief introduction to the biochemical properties of the widely used biomacromolecule-based carriers such as albumin, lipoproteins and polysaccharides. Then examples from the clinic and in recent laboratory development are summarized. Finally the current challenges and future prospects of present biological carriers are discussed.

Effect of rhBMP-2 produced by Escherichia coli expression system on bone formation in rat calvarial defects / 대한치주과학회지

PURPOSE: Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2(rhBMP-2) has been evaluated as potential candidates for periodontal and bone regenerative therapy. In spite of good prospects in BMP applications, there is economically unavailable for clinical use in dental area. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the osteogenic effect of rhBMP-2 produced by E.coli expression system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight-mm critical-size calvarial defects were created in 48 male Sprague-Dawley rats. The animals were divided into 6 groups of 8 animals each. Each group received one of the following: Negative control(sham-surgery control), positive control(absorbable collagen sponge(ACS) alone) and experimental(ACS loaded with rhBMP-2). Defects were evaluated by histologic and histometric parameters following 2- and 8-week healing intervals. RESULTS: The experimental group showed significant defect closure at 2 and 8weeks than the sham surgery and positive control groups. Moreover, the experimental group showed significantly greater new bone and augmented area than the other groups at both 2 and 8weeks. CONCLUSION: rhBMP-2 produced by E.coli expression system may be effective for bone regeneration.

The effect of chitosan/ACS on bone regeneration in rat calvarial defects / 대한치주과학회지

The ultimate objective of periodontal treatment is to get rid of an on-going periodontal disease and further regenerate the supporting tissue, which is already destroyed, functionally. Currently, the bone grafting operation using various kinds of bone grafting materials and the operation for induced regeneration of periodontal tissue using the blocking membrane are performed for regeneration of the destroyed periodontal tissue. However, there are respective limitations Galenical preparations, which are used for regeneration of periodontal tissue, has less risk of rejective reaction or toxicity that may be incidental to degradation and their effect is sustainable. Thus, in case they are applicable to a clinic, they can be used economically. Chitosan has such compatibility, biological actions including antibacterial activity, acceleration of wound treatment, etc., and excellent mechanical characteristics, which has recently aroused more interest in it. Also, it has been reported that it promotes osteogenesis directly or indirectly by functioning as a matrix to promote migration and differentiation of a specific precussor cell (for example, osteoblast) and further inhibiting the function of such a cell as fibroblast to prevent osteogenesis. In this study, the pure chitosan solution, which was obtained by purifying chitosan, was used. However, since this chitosan is of a liquiform, it is difficult to sustain it in a defective region. It is, therefore, essential to use a carrier for delivering chitosan to, and sustaining it gradually in the defective region. In the calvarial defect model of the Sprague-Dawley rat, it is relatively easy to maintain a space. Therefore, in this study, the chitosan solution with which ACS was wetted was grafted onto the defective region. For an experimental model, a calvarial defect of rat was selected, and a critical size of the defective region was a circular defect with a diameter of 8 mm. A group in which no treatment was conducted for the calvarial defect was set as a negative control group. Another group in which treatment was conducted with ACS only was set as a positive control group (ACS group). And another group in which treatment was conducted by grafting the pure chitosan solution onto the defective region through ACS which was wetted with the chitosan solution was set as an experimental group (Chitosan/ACS group). Chitosan was applied to the Sprague-Dawley rat's calvarial bone by applying ACS which was wetted with the chitosan solution, and each Sprague-Dawley rat was sacrificed respectively 2 weeks and 8 weeks after the operation for such application. Then, the treatment results were compared and observed histologically and histometrically. Thereby, the following conclusions were obtained. 1. In the experimental group, a pattern was shown that from 2 weeks after the operation, vascular proliferation proceeded and osteogenesis proceeded through osteoblast infiltration, and at 8 week after the operation, ACS was almost absorbed, the amount of osteogenesis was increased and many osteoid tissue layers were observed. 2. At 2 weeks after the operation, each amount of osteogenesis appeared to be 8.70.8 %, 13.62.3 % and 4.80.7 % respectively in the experimental group, the positive control group and the negative control group. Accordingly, it appeared to be higher in the Experimental group and the positive control group than in the negative control group, but there was no significant difference statistically (p<0.01). 3. At 8 weeks after the operation, each amount of osteogenesis appeared to be 62.26.1 %, 17.42.5 % and 8.21.4 % respectively in the experimental group, the positive control group and the negative control group. Accordingly, it appeared to be substantially higher in the experimental group than in the positive control group and the negative control group, and there was a significant difference statistically (p<0.01). As a result of conducting the experiment, when ACS was used as a carrier for chitosan, chitosan showed effective osteogenesis in the perforated defective region of the Sprague-Dawley rat's calvarial bone.

Tissue Engineering with rhBMP-2: Bone Reconstruction in Implant Dentistry / 대한치주과학회지

The preclinical and clinical studies reviewed herein show that rhBMP-2 induces normal physiologic bone in relevant defects in the craniofacial skeleton. The newly formed bone assumes characteristics of the adjacent resident bone, and allows placement and osseointegration of dental implants. Clearly, the bone inducing capacity of rhBMP-2 is carrier and site dependent. rhBMP-2 in an absorbable collagen sponge carrier induces relevant bone formation in space providing defects. Space providing carries extends this possibility to nonspace providing sites. Notably, some ceramic and polymeric biomaterials may substantially interfere with rhBMP-2 induced osteogenesis.