Osteoinductive, morphologic, and biomechanical properties of autolyzed, antigen-extracted, allogeneic human bone

Autolyzed, antigen-extracted, allogeneic (AAA) bone was prepared from human cortical bone and its morphologic, biomechanical, and osteoinductive properties were compared with untreated (frozen) as well as lyophilized human bone. Scanning electron microscopy revealed removal of inorganic calcium phosphates and persistence of shrunken collagen fibrils on the surface of AAA bone matrix. Biomechanical testing of differently prepared bone samples showed that lyophilization increased both the modulus of elasticity (P < .00001) and the compressive strength (P < .00001). Depending on the depth of decalcification in the preparation of AAA bone, both measured values decreased in rehydrated AAA bone compared with untreated bone (P < .00001). Completely demineralized and rehydrated AAA bone was soft, flexible, and showed very little compressive strength. Differences in biomechanical behavior between samples drilled longitudinally or perpendicularly to the diaphyseal bone axis were observed. Xenogeneic human bone samples were implanted in muscle pouches of Sprague-Dawley rats for 6 weeks. AAA bone implants showed chondrogenesis and osteogenesis in 50% of the cases, while untreated or lyophilized bone implants induced no new cartilage or bone formation. As decalcification exposed xenogeneic organic matrix components, AAA bone implants provoked the highest inflammatory reaction. When AAA bone samples were implanted in immunosuppressed rats, the inflammatory reaction was suppressed and 94% of the implants showed endochondral bone formation. The chondroinductivity of the bone samples also was tested in vitro using neonatal rat muscle tissue to avoid interference with inflammatory cells and secreted cytokines. In this assay, 68% of AAA bone samples induced chondroneogenesis, while untreated as well as lyophilized bone samples failed to induce any cartilage formation. The results clearly demonstrate that AAA bone has osteoinductive properties. Biomechanical stability of AAA bone implants depends on the degree of demineralization. Thus, they can be prepared in an appropriate manner for different indications in oral and maxillofacial surgery.