In vivo xenograft model of mandibular bone regeneration from human Dental Stem Cells

Objectives: This research evaluated the histological, radiological and clinical characteristics of bilateral critical-sized cortico-medullary mandibular bone defects regeneration in New Zealand rabbits after receiving a hydroxyapatite - polylactic polyglycolic acid (HA/PLGA) scaffolds and human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs).
This research evaluated the histological, radiological and clinical characteristics of bilateral critical-sized cortico-medullary mandibular bone defects regeneration in New Zealand rabbits after receiving a hydroxyapatite - polylactic polyglycolic acid (HA/PLGA) scaffolds and human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs)
Methods: The study was carried out on eight rabbits; randomized bilateral critical-sized osseous lesions were performed where side one was treated with an HA/PLGA+hDPSCs matrix and side two with an HA/PLGA matrix
Results: An osseo-integration was clinically observed as well as a reduction of 75 % of the surgical lumen on side one and 35 % on side two (p=0,001). A neo-formation process from the matrix, a cellular maturation process of osseous lineage and an angiogenesis process on side one (HA/PLGA+hDPSCs) in comparison to side two (HA/PLGA) (p=0,001) were histologically observed. An 80 % radio-density level (RD) was radiologically achieved on the side treated with HA/PLGA+hDPSCs (p=0,002), while side two treated with HA/PLGA achieved an RD of 50 % at its highest but did not manage to reach an RD similar to mandibular bone (p=0,001).
Conclusions: The HA/PLGA+hDPSCs matrix modulates and favours osseous regeneration on a mandibular, critical-sized lesion of a New Zealand rabbit, proving to be an effective in vivo method for mandibular osseous regeneration studies regarding critical-sized lesions on animal models.