Enhanced critical-sized bone defect repair efficiency by combining deproteinized antler cancellous bone and autologous BMSCs

Abstract

Previously we have demonstrated that calcinated antler cancellous bone (CACB) has great potential for bone defect repair, due to its highly similar composition and architecture to natural extracellular bone matrix. This study is aiming at seeking for an optimal strategy of combined application of CACB and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in bone defect repair. In vitro study demonstrated that CACB promoted the adhesion, spreading and viability of BMSCs. Increased extracellular matrix production and expression of osteogenic markers in BMSCs were observed when seeded on CACB scaffolds. The cells ceased to proliferation in the dual effect of CACB and osteogenic induction at the early stage of incubation. Hence synergistic effect of CACB combined with autologous undifferentiated BMSCs in rabbit mandible critical-sized defect repair was further evaluated. Histological analysis results showed that loading the CACB with autologous BMSCs resulted in enhanced new bone formation and angiogenesis when compared with implanted CACB alone. These findings indicate that the combination of CACB and autologous BMSCs should become potential routes to improve bone repair efficiency