Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Small amount of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) are secreted and stored in bone matrix, osteoblast and chondroblast of adult body. After bone fracture, these BMP are released at the fracture area and induce surrounding mesenchymal cells to chemotaxis, aggregate, differentiate, and form cartilage, thereby, form mature bone structure ultimately.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate osteogensis effect of transgenic human bone morphogenetic proteins-7 (rhBMP-7) in rabbit intervertebral disc.
METHODS: Healthy, adult, New Zealand, white rabbits were randomly divided into four groups, which were received injection of rhBMP-7, sodium chloride or simple damaged intervertebral discs. Simultaneously, normal intervertebral discs were served as controls. At 6 weeks, the intervertebral discs of rabbits were examined by histological detection to observe the new bone formation in injected area.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Negative results could be found in the sodium chloride and control groups. The new bone area of the rhBMP-7 group was greater than that of the simple damaged group (P < 0.05). There were no significant between rhBMP-7 group and the simply damaged groups when the differences were magnified for 40- and 100-fold (P > 0.05). Transgenic rhBMP-7 can change rabbit intervertebral disc to newborn cartilage.