Particle gun-mediated bone morphogenetic protein-2 gene transfection for treatment of chronic bone defects / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Both in vitro and in vivo studies have confirmed that, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) regulates the differentiation of osteoblasts and chondroblasts, induces heterotopic bone formation, promotes fracture healing, and controls the morphology of skeleton in mammals. OBJECTIVE:To treat chronic bone defects using particle gun containing BMP2 gene eukaryotic expression plasmid via local injection. METHODS:A total of 72 healthy New Zealand white rabbits were applied to establish chronic bone defect model in the rabbit radius. According to the length of bone defect, the rabbits were divided into three groups1.5 cm group, 2.0 cm group, 2.5 cm group. Each group was further randomly assigned into two subgroupstreatment group (BMP-2 gene transfection) and control group (natural y healing). X-ray examinations were performed at 1, 3, 8 and 9 weeks after transfection, and soft tissue between the bone defects was harvested to detect BMP-2 using western blot analysis;and radius specimens were taken for gross observation at the same time points, to evaluate the healing. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) Gross specimen observationbone cal us formation in treatment group was general y more than that in control group. (2) Lane-Sandhu X-ray score in treatment group was significantly higher than that in control group at 1, 3, 8, 9 weeks after transfection (P<0.05). (3) BMP-2 concentration in treatment group was significantly higher than that in control group at each time point (P<0.05). The local transfer of particle gun-mediated BMP-2 gene is an effective therapy of chronic bone defect.