Evaluation of different scaffolds for BMP-2 genetic orthopedic tissue engineering

To better understand the effects of scaffold materials for bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) genetic tissue engineering in vivo, several gels, including alginate, collagen, agarose, hyaluronate, fibrin, or Pluronic, were mixed with adenovirus-mediated human BMP-2 gene (Adv-hBMP-2) transduced bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) and injected into the muscles of athymic mice to evaluate the resulting osteogenesis and chondrogenesis. These gel and gene-transduced BMSC mixtures were also loaded onto beta-TCP/HAP biphasic calcined bone (BCB) and observed under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, these composite scaffolds were implanted into the subcutaneous site of athymic mice to construct tissue-engineered bone. After injection, collagen, hyaluronate, or alginate gel mixed with gene-transduced BMSCs induced more bone formation than a cell suspension in alpha-MEM. The agarose-gene-transduced BMSC gel was found to contain much more hyaline cartilage. SEM showed the BMSCs could survive in alginate, agarose, and collagen gel in vitro for up to 8 d. After implantation of tissue-engineered bone, the alginate, collagen, and agarose gel could promote new bone formation within a BCB in vivo. Little or no bone formed after injection of fibrin or Pluronic gel mixed with BMSCs or implantation with BCB. These findings help to elucidate the effects of various scaffold materials for future research in orthopedic tissue engineering using BMP-2 transduced cells.