Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2018, Vol. 22 ›› Issue (10): 1506-1510.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.0707

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Titanium and nano-hydroxyapatite for bone defect repair in rats: effects on immune regulation

Liu Feng1, Liang Zai-ming2
  

  1. 1Department of Orthopedics, First People’s Hospital of Yibin, Yibin 644000, Sichuan Province, China; 2Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
  • Received:2018-01-29 Online:2018-04-08 Published:2018-04-08
  • About author:Liu Feng, Associate chief physician, Department of Orthopedics, First People’s Hospital of Yibin, Yibin 644000, Sichuan Province, China
  • Supported by:
    the Funded Project of Sichuan Provincial Health and Family Planning Committee, No. 16PJ549

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that titanium has good biological properties and regulate osteoblast adhesion, proliferation and differentiation, but there are few reports on the effect of titanium materials on bone defect repair and on immune regulation in rats.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of titanium materials in the repair of osteoporotic bone defect in rats and its effect on immune regulation.
METHODS: Bilateral ovaries were removed from 30 Wistar rats to establish osteoporosis models. Three months after modeling, a percutaneous bone defect with the diameter of 2.5 mm was prepared on the distal femur of all the 30 rats. These model rats were then randomly divided into three groups with 10 rats in each group: negative control group without any intervention, hydroxyapatite group filled with nano-hydroxyapatite, and titanium material group filled with titanium material. Serum interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay after 5 days of intervention, and meanwhile, serum T-lymphocyte subsets were detected by flow cytometry. After 5 and 10 weeks of intervention, hematoxylin-eosin staining was used for morphological observation of the defect site.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) After 5 days of intervention, the levels of interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 in the titanium material group were significantly lower than those in the negative control and hydroxyapatite groups (P < 0.05). (2) After 5 days of intervention, the levels of CD4+ and CD8+ and the ratios of CD4+/CD8+ in the titanium material group were significantly higher than those in the hydroxyapatite and negative control groups (P < 0.05). (3) Hematoxylin-eosin staining results showed that a small amount of bone tissues filled with a large amount of fibrous tissues and adipocytes formed in the negative control group at 5 and 10 weeks after intervention. A little bone formation was observed in the hydroxyapatite group at 5 weeks after intervention, and the implant began to degrade at 10 weeks and was gradually replaced by new bone tissues. A small amount of trabecular bones enriched with blood vessels arranged orderly in the titanium material group at 5 weeks after intervention; and at 10 weeks, the number of trabecular bone increased and the defect was basically healed. Taken together, the titanium plate can achieve good results in the repair of osteoporotic bone defects in rats, and moreover, it can control the immune response during the bone defect repair.

Key words: Titanium, Osteoporosis, Hydroxyapatites, T-Lymphocyte Subsets, Tissue Engineering

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