Effect of Use of Slow Release of Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 and Transforming Growth Factor-Beta-2 in a Chitosan Gel Matrix on Cranial Bone Graft Survival in Experimental Cranial Critical Size Defect Model

Bone grafts, used for providing structural integrity of cranial vault remodeling, could not always integrate with the remaining bone structures. All efforts are focused on increasing incorporation of the applied bone grafts. Allografts were covered by chitosan so that slow release of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) and Transforming growth factor-beta-2 (TGF-beta-2) was achieved. Two hundred forty Wistar-Albino rats were distributed equally in 8 study groups. Study groups were designed as; defect group, autograft group, allograft group, chitosan group, allograft + chitosan, TGF-beta-2 group, BMP-2 group, and TGF-Beta-2 + BMP-2 group. Bone biopsies were obtained at second, eight, and 14th weeks. Bone regeneration was evaluated by morphologic studies detecting histologic bone healing and radiologic studies detecting bone density. Histologic findings were evaluated in 2 categories; tissue response to the implant and defect healing. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy for detailed morphologic evaluation was done. Bone density of the applied scaffold and the parietal bone at the same computed tomography section were measured in Hounsfield scale and this ratio was used for densitometry evaluations. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze difference among groups according to the histologic and radiologic data. Pairwise comparisons were done using Mann-Whitney U test with Bonferroni correction. P < 0.05 was considered significant. In the morphologic studies, bone regeneration in BMP-2 group was found to be compatible with bone regeneration in gold standard autograft group and even better than it within 15 days. Chitosan is a biocompatible material. TGF-Beta-2 alone is not effective enough in bone regeneration; BMP-2 alone has a positive effect in every step of bone regeneration. Combining TGF-Beta-2 with BMP-2 does not lead to a better bone regeneration than using BMP-2 alone. A synergistic effect is not obtained by using these 2 factors together.