LR-PRP-saturated bioactive bovine-derived decellularized pericardium accelerates osteogenesis in a rabbit bone defect...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Orthopedic Surgery

Background:

• Decellularized biological scaffolds combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) can enable sustained growth factor release for tissue regeneration.
• Leukocyte-rich platelet-rich plasma (LR-PRP) and decellularized bovine pericardium (dBP) were investigated for their synergistic effects on bone repair.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the combined efficacy of dBP and LR-PRP in promoting bone healing within a rabbit femoral defect model.

Main Methods:

• Bovine pericardium was decellularized using a Trypsin-Triton X-SDS protocol and characterized for residual cellular material and matrix components.
• Unicortical femoral defects were created in rabbits and treated with either no treatment, LR-PRP alone, or LR-PRP combined with dBP.
• Bone healing was assessed using quantitative computed tomography (CT) and histopathological analysis at 2 and 4 weeks post-surgery.

Main Results:

• Decellularized bovine pericardium (dBP) demonstrated successful decellularization (99.2% nucleus removal) while preserving glycosaminoglycan and collagen content.
• Quantitative CT revealed significant increases in bone mineral density in the LR-PRP + dBP group compared to controls at both 2 (+33.2%) and 4 (+56.2%) weeks.
• The LR-PRP + dBP group showed significantly higher bone repair scores and nascent bone area fraction (87.8%) compared to the LR-PRP alone group (54%) in histopathological analyses.

Conclusions:

• The combination of dBP and LR-PRP exhibits a synergistic effect, significantly enhancing bone defect repair.
• This combined scaffold strategy holds promise for developing advanced biocompatible materials for bone regeneration.
• The findings support the potential of dBP as a scaffold for delivering LR-PRP to improve bone healing outcomes.