title: Gene gun transferring-bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) gene enhanced bone fracture healing in rabbits.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Transferring the bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) genes into the tissues or cells can improve the bone healing of the fracture has been widely accepted. We evaluated the efficiency of using gene gun to transfer the BMP-2 gene thereby affected the healing of a fractured bone.
  
  
  METHODS
  The vector coding for BMP-2 was constructed by a non-replicating encephalo-myocarditis virus (ECMV)-based vector. The segmental bone defect (1.5 cm) model was created by a wire-saw at the middle part of the radius bone of the New Zealand white rabbits. Then either BMP-2 gene or control vector without BMP-2 gene was injected into the tissues around the fracture site. Healing of the defects was monitored radiographically for 9 weeks, bone consolidation was determined by the Lane-Sandhu score pre- and post-operatively, which can evaluated bone formation, bone connect and bone plasticity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The radiographic score and bone consolidation rates were significantly higher in animals injected with BMP-2 gene group as compared with control vector-injected animals (P<0.05). The control group still showed no radiological signs of stable healing. Western-blot and RT-PCR showed BMP-2 expression was significant increase in the tissues around the site of osseous lesions in comparison with the control vector-injected animals (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggested that BMP-2 gene transferred by gene gun could increase the expression of BMP-2 protein and improved the bone callus formation therefore shortened the time of bone defect healing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Xinjiang 1st Teaching Hospital, Xinjiang Medical College Urumuqi 830011, Xinjiang, China.
authors.forename: Wenju
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Sixth people's Hospital, Jiaotong University Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Haifeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Chunmei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Xinjiang 1st Teaching Hospital, Xinjiang Medical College Urumuqi 830011, Xinjiang, China.
authors.forename: Xiaomeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, General Hospital of Pingmei Shenma Medical Group Pingdingshan 467000, Henan, China.
authors.forename: Guozhu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Fifth Hospital of Wuhan, Second Affiliated Hospital of Jianghan University Wuhan 430050, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Xinjiang 1st Teaching Hospital, Xinjiang Medical College Urumuqi 830011, Xinjiang, China.
authors.forename: Xinghua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Xinjiang 1st Teaching Hospital, Xinjiang Medical CollegeUrumuqi 830011, Xinjiang, China; Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Sixth people's Hospital, Jiaotong UniversityShanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Yulin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhan
keywords: Bone morphogenetic protein 2; bone fracture; gene gun; healing