Evaluation of the osteogenic potential of demineralized and decellularized bovine bone granules following implantation in rat calvaria critical-size defect model

The aim of this study was to compare the ability of demineralized (DMB) and decellularized (DCC) bovine bone granules to support bone regeneration in rat calvaria critical-size defects. DMB and DCC were prepared using a previously published method. The granule size used ranged between 500 and 750 μm. A total of forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups (n = 24). A pair of 5 mm diameter defects were created on the calvaria of the rats in the right and left parietal bone in both groups. Group A animals received DMB granules and Group B received DCC granules in the right parietal defect side while the left parietal untreated defect acted as sham surgery for both groups. Four animals per group were euthanized in a CO2 chamber at day 7, 14 and 21 post-surgery and the calvaria implantation site biopsy harvested was subjected to osteogenic gene expression analysis. Another four animals per group were euthanized at days 15, 30 and 60 post surgery and the calvaria implantation site biopsy harvested was subjected to histological, immunohistochemistry, RAMAN spectroscopy and Micro-CT analysis at the mentioned time points. Statistical analysis was conducted using t-tests and ANOVA. Histomorphometry showed significantly higher new bone formation in the DCC sites (p<0.05) compared to DMB. Both DMB and DCC implantation sites showed distinct staining for osteocalcin and osteopontin proteins compared to their respective sham sites. By day 21 after implantation, DCC sites demonstrated significantly elevated mRNA levels of osteonectin (p<0.001), osteopontin (p<0.001), osteocalcin (p<0.0001), ALP (p<0.01), and BMP-2 (p<0.001) compared to DMB. However, VEGF expression showed no significant differences at this time point between the two groups. Micro-CT analysis also showed enhanced defect closure and higher bone density in DCC implanted sites while RAMAN spectra demonstrated increased abundance of collagen and bone minerals, especially, PO43- ions than DMB. In conclusion, both DMB and DCC granules demonstrated favorable osteogenic potential in critical-sized defects, with DCC exhibited superior osteoconductive, osteoinductive and osteogenesis properties.