Effects of Polycaprolactone-Tricalcium Phosphate, Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 and Dog Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Bone Formation: Pilot Study in Dogs

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to evaluate the survival, proliferation, and bone formation of dog mesenchymal stem cells (dMSCs) in the graft material by using Polycaprolactone-tricalcium phosphate (PCL-TCP), auto-fibrin glue (AFG), recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2), and dMSCs after a transplantation to the scapula of adult beagle dogs. MATERIALS AND METHODS The subjects were two beagle dogs. Total dose of rhBMP-2 on each block was 10 microg with 50 microg/mg concentration. The cortical bone of the scapula of the dog was removed which was the same size of PCL-TCP block (Osteopore International Pte, Singapore; 5.0x5.0x8.0 mm in size), and the following graft material then was fixed with orthodontic mini-implant, Dual-top (Titanium alloy, Jeil Co. Seoul, Korea). Four experimental groups were prepared for this study, Group 1: PCL-TCP + aFG; Group 2: PCL-TCP + aFG + dMSCs; Group 3: PCL-TCP + aFG + dMSCs + rhBMP-2; Group 4: PCL-TCP + aFG + dMSCs + rhBMP-2 + PCL membrane. The survival or proliferation of dMSCs cells was identified with an extracted tissue through a fluorescence microscope, H-E staining and Von-Kossa staining in two weeks and four weeks after the transplantation. RESULTS The survival and proliferation of dMSCs were identified through a fluorescence microscope from both Group 1 and Group 2 in two weeks and four weeks after the transplantation. Histological observation also found that the injected cells were proliferating well in the G2, G3, and G4 scaffolds. CONCLUSION This study concluded that bone ingrowth occurred in PCL-TCP scaffold which was transplanted with rhBMP-2, and MSCs did not affect bone growth. More sufficient healing time would be needed to recognize effects of dMSCs on bone formation.