Development of the injectable biomaterials for vertebral fracture healing

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K16701
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Orthopaedic surgery
• Research Institution: Kitasato University
• Principal Investigator: Saito Wataru 北里大学, 医学部, 講師 (60439099)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 人工コラーゲン / コラーゲン結合型成長因子 / 椎体骨折

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The prevalence of patients with vertebral fracture continues to increase in aging societies, including Japan. Here, we developed an artificial collagen-based bone formation system consisting of poly(Pro-Hyp-Gly)n, which mimics the triple helical conformation of collagen, and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) fused to collagen-binding domain (CBD) of Clostridium histolyticum collagenase. We examined the formation abilitiy of four collagen-binding bFGF consisting consisting of bFGF-s3, bFGF-s2b-s3, bFGF-s3b, and bFGF-s3a-s3b in a mice femoral fracture model. As bFGF-s3a-s3b showed the highest capacity to induce callus formation in the mice fracture model, bFGF-s3a-s3b-loaded artificial collagen gel (ACG) applied the in rat vertebral fracture model and induced bone formation. In addition, combination of bFGF-s3a-s3b and BMP2 promote bone formation. The poly(Pro-Hyp-Gly)n/bFGF-s3a-s3b/BMP-2 construct may therefore have the potential to promote bone formation in clinical settings.

Free Research Field

整形外科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

我が国においても高齢者における骨折は脳血管疾患、高齢による衰弱に次ぐ寝たきり原因の3位であり、椎体骨折後の死亡率は骨折を有しない場合の約4倍の死亡率になるとの報告もある。高齢化の進む我が国の65 歳以上における骨折治療に要する年間医療費の総額は約6000 億円と推測されており、この額は65 歳以上の年間医療費の約4%を占めている。従って高齢者の骨折治癒法の確立は医学的、医療経済的、社会的に重要な意味を持つ。本シーズは、椎体骨折に伴う患者、家族の身体的・精神的苦痛の軽減に加え、経済的な負担軽減、そして医療費の軽減に重要な意義を持つ。