Gelatin-Modified Bone Substitute with Bioactive Molecules Enhance Cellular Interactions and Bone Regeneration

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Orthopedic Surgery

Background:

• Injectable bone cements are crucial for bone defect repair.
• Enhancing cellular interaction and osteoinductivity of bone cements is a key challenge.
• Incorporating bioactive molecules can improve bone regeneration outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and evaluate an injectable bone cement incorporating gelatin, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), and zoledronic acid.
• To assess the in vitro cellular response and in vivo bone healing efficacy of the modified bone cement.
• To investigate the potential of this novel cement for enhanced bone substitution.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of injectable bone cement with gelatin (0.2%w/v).
• In vitro studies using Saos-2 cells and C2C12 myoblast differentiation assays.
• In vivo implantation in critical-sized tibial defects in Wistar rats.
• Analysis of bone healing using X-ray, micro-CT, histology, and histomorphometry at 12 and 16 weeks.

Main Results:

• Gelatin cement enhanced Saos-2 cell proliferation and C2C12 cell differentiation (6-fold ALP increase).
• PCR confirmed the osteoinductive potential of gelatin cement.
• In vivo, the cement showed slow resorption, creating a porous hydroxyapatite (HAP) matrix.
• Maximum bone formation was observed with zoledronic acid-modified cement, followed by BMP-modified cement.

Conclusions:

• Injectable bone cement modified with gelatin, BMPs, and zoledronic acid demonstrates significant potential for bone regeneration.
• Zoledronic acid and BMPs incorporation enhances osteogenesis and bone substitution.
• The developed cement exhibits high biocompatibility and promotes effective bone healing in critical-sized defects.