The bone-forming effects of HIF-1α-transduced BMSCs promote osseointegration with dental implant in canine mandible

PLoS One. 2012;7(3):e32355. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0032355. Epub 2012 Mar 5.

Abstract

The presence of insufficient bone volume remains a major clinical problem for dental implant placement to restore the oral function. Gene-transduced stem cells provide a promising approach for inducing bone regeneration and enhancing osseointegration in dental implants with tissue engineering technology. Our previous studies have demonstrated that the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) promotes osteogenesis in rat bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). In this study, the function of HIF-1α was validated for the first time in a preclinical large animal canine model in term of its ability to promote new bone formation in defects around implants as well as the osseointegration between tissue-engineered bone and dental implants. A lentiviral vector was constructed with the constitutively active form of HIF-1α (cHIF). The ectopic bone formation was evaluated in nude mice. The therapeutic potential of HIF-1α-overexpressing canine BMSCs in bone repair was evaluated in mesi-implant defects of immediate post-extraction implants in the canine mandible. HIF-1α mediated canine BMSCs significantly promoted new bone formation both subcutaneously and in mesi-implant defects, including increased bone volume, bone mineral density, trabecular thickness, and trabecular bone volume fraction. Furthermore, osseointegration was significantly enhanced by HIF-1α-overexpressing canine BMSCs. This study provides an important experimental evidence in a preclinical large animal model concerning to the potential applications of HIF-1α in promoting new bone formation as well as the osseointegration of immediate implantation for oral function restoration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Dental Implants*
  • Dogs
  • Genetic Therapy
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / genetics*
  • Male
  • Mandible / cytology
  • Mandible / physiology*
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Osseointegration / genetics*
  • Osteogenesis / genetics*
  • Tissue Engineering
  • Transduction, Genetic*

Substances

  • Dental Implants
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit