Regeneration of articular cartilage defects in the temporomandibular joint of rabbits by fibroblast growth factor-2: a pilot study.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic usefulness of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) in rabbit temporomandibular joints (TMJ) with osteoarthritis. A 10-mm(3) defect was bored in the surface of the mandibular condyle head. The animals were divided into four groups: two test groups in which the defect was filled with lyophilized collagen containing 0.1 or 1.0microg of FGF-2, and two control groups, in which the defects were filled with lyophilized collagen without FGF-2 or left empty. The defective sites were examined under a light microscope 3 weeks after surgery. Initiation of cartilage formation was observed in the defects filled with 0.1microg of FGF-2, but only a small amount of cartilage was found in the defects of the 1.0-mug FGF-2- treated group. In the control groups, soft-tissue repair only or no tissue repair was found. In vivo, a dose of 0.1microg of FGF-2 can stimulate articular cartilage restoration in defects of the TMJ in rabbits, although determining the effective concentration range of FGF-2 may be difficult. The present results suggest that an optimum concentration of FGF-2 could restore defects of TMJ articular cartilage clinically.
Takafuji
H
H
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Syogoin, Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto-shi 606-8507, Japan. takafuji@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Suzuki
T
T
Okubo
Y
Y
Fujimura
K
K
Bessho
K
K
D000818:Animals; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D003094:Collagen / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011817:Rabbits; D012038:Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000601:surgery; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*