Objective: To construct and evaluate a novel tissue-engineered bone composed of murine stromal cell-derived factor 1(mSDF-1), simvastatin (SIM) and collagen scaffold (Bio-Oss®), serving as a cell-homing approach for bone formation.
Methods: In the study, 32 ICR mice were randomly divided into 4 groups,each group including 8 mice. The drug-loaded collagen scaffolds were implanted subcutaneously onto the cranium of each mouse according to the groups: (1) 1:50 (volume ratio) dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)/phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution + collagen scaffold (blank control group); (2) 10⁻³ mol/L SIM solution + collagen scaffold (SIM group); (3) 200 mg/L mSDF-1 solution + collagen scaffold (mSDF-1 group); and (4) 10® mol/L SIM +200 mg/L mSDF-1 solution + collagen scaffold (SIM + mSDF-1 group). One week after implantation, the mice were treated by injecting the same drug solution mentioned above around the scaffold once a day for two days. The specimens were harvested 6 weeks after implantation and the bone formation was evaluated by soft X-ray analysis, HE staining and immunohistochemical staining. Angiogenesis of each group was checked by calculation of vessels in each tissue section.
Results: Six weeks after implantation, the collagen scaffolds were retrieved. The value of gray scale for the SIM+mSDF-1 group [(421 836.5 ± 65 425.7)pixels] was significantly higher than that of the blank control group[(153 345.6 ± 45 222.2) pixels, P<0.01], the SIM group [(158 119.2 ± 100 284.2)pixels, P<0.01], and the mSDF-1 group[(255 529.5 ± 152 142.4)pixels, P<0.05]; HE staining analysis revealed that significant bone formation was achieved in the SIM + mSDF-1 group; The immunohistochemical staining showed the existence of osteopontin and osteocalcin in the SIM + mSDF-1 group; There were more vessels in the SIM+mSDF-1 group[(46 ± 8)vessels/mm²] than in the blank control group [(23 ± 7) vessels/mm2, P<0.01], and the SIM group[(24 ± 6) vessels/mm2, P<0.01].
Conclusion: The novel tissue-engineered bone composed of mSDF-1, SIM and collagen scaffolds has the potential to form bone subcutaneously in vivo. It represents a novel method of in vivo bone re-generation without seed cell delivery.