Effect of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Platelet-Rich Plasma on the Healing of Standardized Bone Defects in the Alveolar Ridge: A Comparative Histomorphometric Study in Minipigs
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to test the effect of the combination of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) incorporated into a fluorohydroxyapatite (FHA) scaffold on bone regeneration in cylindrical defects in the edentulous mandibular ridge of minipigs.
Materials and Methods
Two mandibular premolar teeth were extracted bilaterally in 8 adult minipigs. After 2 months, 4 standardized defects of 3.5 mm diameter and 8 mm depth were created in each root site. The defects were randomly grafted with autogenous mandibular bone, FHA alone, PRP-FHA, or MSCs-PRP-FHA. A resorbable collagen membrane was placed over the defect area and the flaps were sutured. The animals were sacrificed 3 months later and biopsy samples were taken from the defect sites for histologic and histomorphometric assessment.
Results
There was no evidence of inflammation or adverse tissue reaction with either treatment. MSCs-PRP-FHA-treated sites showed new vital bone between residual grafting particles. PRP-FHA- and FHA-treated sites showed residual particles in a background of marrow soft tissue with a moderate quantity of newly formed bone. Autogenous bone (46.97%) and MSCs-PRP-FHA (45.28%) produced a significantly higher amount of vital bone than PRP-FHA (37.95%), or FHA alone (36.03%). Further, the MSCs-PRP-FHA-treated defects showed a significantly higher percentage of contact between graft particles and newly formed bone compared with PRP-FHA and FHA group (59.23% vs 48.37% and 46.43%, respectively).
Conclusions
Our results suggest that, in this animal model, the addition of MSCs to PRP-FHA enhances bone formation after 3 months.
⁎Research Fellow, Department of Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
†Research Associate, Bone Regeneration Laboratory, Istituti Ortopedici Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
‡Research Associate, Department of Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
§Research Associate, Experimental Surgery Laboratory, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna, Italy
‖Research Associate, Experimental Surgery Laboratory, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna, Italy
¶Professor and Director, Experimental Surgery Laboratory, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna, Italy
#Professor and Director, Bone Regeneration Laboratory, Istituti Ortopedici Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
⁎⁎Professor and Director, Department of Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Pieri: Via San Vitale 59, 40136 Bologna, Italy
ABSTRACT