Effect of injectable chitosan.beta-tricalcium phosphate with platelet-rich plasma on bone regeneration in vivo

Abstract

Objective To study the effect of a novel injectable scaffold material, ehitosan-beta-tricaleium phosphate (TCP) combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on repairing bone defects in goats. Methods The model of bone defect was created in 18 Chinese goats, below the bilateral tibial plateaus of which a circular hole of 1.2cm in diameter was made. The animals were divided into 3 groups: a blank group where nothing was embedded into the bone defect; a simple material group where chitosan-beta-TCP was embedded into the bone defect; a compound material group where chitosan-beta-TCP combined with PRP was used. At 4 and 8 weeks after operation, samples were harvested from the defect zone for evaluation of the effect of bone regeneration by histological and image analyses. Results At 4 and 8 weeks after operation, the hardness of the bone defect zone in the compound material group was higher than that in the other 2 groups. At 8 weeks, histological slices showed the bone defects in the blank group were not restored, but only invaded by fibrous tissue with only a little osteoid formation at the boundary. In the simple material group, some osteoid formed at the boundary and small punctiform or lamellar new bone tissues in the defect area but without obvious new bone formation at the center. In the compound material group, the osteoid at the boundary was obviously more than in the other 2 groups and there were small punctiform or lamellar new bone tissues at the center of defect. Image analysis showed that the areas of bone formation in the blank, simple material and compound material groups were respectively 8.79 ± 3.63, 14.49 ±3.72, 24. 18 ±5.38 at 4 weeks and 15.41 ±4.21, 25.36 ±5.37, 30.71 ±4.39 at 8 weeks. The bone regeneration in the compound material group was better than that in the other 2 groups ( P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion The effect of injectable chitosan-beta-TCP combined with PRP on repairing bone defects is good, for PRP can promote bone regeneration in vivo at an early stage. Key words: Biocompatible materials; Plasma; Injectable