Hydroxyapatite coated with hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) stimulates humanosteoblasts in vitro

We have studied in vitro the effect of a hydroxyapatite (HA) tricalcium pho sphate material coated with hepatocyte growth factor (HA-HGF) on cell growt h, collagen synthesis and secretion of metalloproteinases (MMPs) by human o steoblasts, Cell proliferation was stimulated when osteoblasts were incubated with untr eated HA and was further increased after exposure to HA-HGF, The uptake of [H-3]-proline was increased after treatment with HA. When osteoblasts were exposed to HA-HGF, collagen synthesis was increased with respect to HA. The secretion of MMPs in control cells was undetectable, but in HA and HA-HGF cells MMP 2 and MMP 9 were clearly synthesised. Our results suggest that HA can promote osteoblast activity and that HGF ca n further increase its bioactivity.