Heparin-conjugated fibrin as an injectable system for sustained delivery of bone morphogenetic protein-2

Long-term release of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) can promote bone regeneration. We developed an injectable system for long-term delivery of BMP-2 by covalently conjugating heparin to fibrinogen. The heparin-conjugated fibrinogen formed an injectable, heparin-conjugated fibrin (HCF) gel when mixed with thrombin. HCF released 89.4 +/- 3.8% of the loaded BMP-2 for 13 days, whereas normal fibrin released 83.7 +/- 7.6% for the initial 3 days. BMP-2 released from HCF significantly increased alkaline phosphatase activity of cultured osteoblasts, whereas BMP-2 released from normal fibrin did not do so, indicating that BMP-2 released from HCF is bioactive and suggesting that long-term delivery of BMP-2 is advantageous over short-term delivery for bone regeneration. HCF, BMP-2-loaded HCF, and BMP-2-loaded normal fibrin containing free heparin were contained in polyester cylindrical tubes and implanted into the hind limb muscle pockets of rats for 8 weeks. Soft X-ray radiography, computed tomography, histomorphometry, calcium assay, and western blot analysis showed that BMP-2-loaded HCF yielded the most extensive bone formation among the groups. Since HCF can deliver BMP-2 over a long term, is an injectable system, and is made of clinically benign materials, this system would have advantages for clinical applications to regenerate bone.