Changes in Bone Regeneration by Trehalose Coating and Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor after Implantation of Tailor-Made Bone Implants in Dogs

Abstract

In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of trehalose coating and the optimal dose of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), an osteoinductive protein, loaded onto tailor-made bone implants for implant-induced bone formation in vivo. We fabricated tailor-made α-tricalcium phosphate bone implants (11 mm diameter with 2 parallel cylindrical holes). bFGF 0, 1, 10, 100 or 200 μg/implant was incorporated into implants with and without a trehalose coating, and these were subsequently implanted into dogs to correct temporal bone defects of the same size and shape. Four weeks after implantation, we analyzed the bone implants and surrounding tissues by using micro-computed tomography imaging and histological analyses, as well as gross evaluation. No significant difference in new bone formation was observed between implants with and without trehalose coating at any of the bFGF doses. Bone implants with 100 and 200 μg bFGF showed significantly more new bone formation at the implant site and within the cylindrical holes of the implants than those without bFGF (P<0.05). However, heterotopic bone formation on the skull near the implant was observed in the group that received 200 μg bFGF. These results suggest that 100 μg bFGF is the optimal dose for this implant in dogs, and that the trehalose coating may not be necessary in vivo, probably due to the presence of blood proteins and electrolytes at the implant site.