A BONE REGENERATION STUDY - TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR-BETA(1) AND ITS DELIVERY

Critical-sized defects (CSDs) were prepared in 60 rabbit skulls, divid ed evenly among five treatments and two time periods. The treatments c onsisted of rabbit demineralized bone matrix (DBM) and four different doses of transforming growth factor-beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)) (0, 0.4, 4, and 40 mu g) delivered in 3% carboxymethyl cellulose and Gelfilm. Quan titative assessments of bone formation in the CSDs were accomplished w ith computerized radiomorphometry and histomorphometry. Results indica ted that rabbit DBM and 40 mu g TGF-beta(1) promoted more new bone for mation at 4 weeks than the other treatments. By 8 weeks, bone formatio n in the CSDs was equivalent for all but the 0-mu g dose of TGF-beta(1 ). The results from the study suggest a single therapeutic dose of TGF -beta(1) delivered in an appropriate carrier to a critical-sized intra osseous wound should promote bone formation.