Improvement of porous beta-TCP scaffolds with rhBMP-2 chitosan carrier film for bone tissue application

Ceramic materials are osteoconductive matrices extensively used in bone tissue engineering approaches. The performance of these types of biomaterials can be greatly enhanced by the incorporation of bioactive agents and materials. It is previously reported that chitosan is a biocompatible, biodegradable material that enhances bone formation. In the other hand, bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) is a well-known osteoinductive factor. In this work we coated porous beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) scaffolds with recombinant human BMP-2 (rhBMP-2) carrier chitosan films and studied how they could modify the ceramic physicochemical properties, cellular response, and in vivo bone generation. Initial beta-TCP disks with an average diameter of 5.78 mm, 2.9 mm thickness, and 53% porosity were coated with a chitosan film. These coating properties were studied by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform-infrared analysis, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). Treatment modified the scaffold porous distribution and increased the average hardness. The biocompatibility did not seem to be altered. In addition, adhered C2C12 cells expressed alkaline phosphatase activity, related to cell differentiation toward osteogenic lineage, due to the incorporation of rhBMP-2. On the other hand, in vivo observations showed new bone formation 3 weeks after surgery, a much shorter time than control beta-TCP ceramics. These results suggest that developed coating improved porous beta-TCP scaffold for bone tissue applications and added osteoinductive properties.