Recombinant Human Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Accelerates Fracture Healing by Enhancing Callus Remodeling in Experimental Dog Tibial Fracture

• Published in: Journal of bone and mineral research Vol. 13; no. 6; pp. 942 - 949
• Main Authors: Nakamura, Toshiyuki, Hara, Yasushi, Tagawa, Masahiro, Tamura, Makoto, Yuge, Takuro, Fukuda, Hiroshi, Nigi, Hideo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC John Wiley and Sons and The American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) 01.06.1998; American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
• Subjects: Absorptiometry, Photon; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Bone Density; Bone Remodeling - drug effects; Bony Callus - diagnostic imaging; Bony Callus - drug effects; Cell Count - drug effects; Cell physiology; Dogs; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 - administration & dosage; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 - pharmacology; Fracture Healing - drug effects; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Male; Molecular and cellular biology; Osteoclasts - drug effects; Recombinant Proteins - administration & dosage; Recombinant Proteins - pharmacology; Responses to growth factors, tumor promotors, other factors; Space life sciences; Tibia - diagnostic imaging; Tibia - drug effects; Tibial Fractures - diagnostic imaging; Tibial Fractures - drug therapy; Tibial Fractures - pathology; Fissipedia; Carnivora; Callus; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Basic fibroblast growth factor; Fracture; Osteoclast; Bone remodeling; Cell differentiation; Trauma; Inorganic element; Osteoarticular system; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Tibia; Bone; Recombinant protein; Dog
• ISSN: 0884-0431; 1523-4681
• DOI: 10.1359/jbmr.1998.13.6.942

Effect of recombinant human basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on fracture healing was investigated using a tibial fracture in beagle dogs. Transverse fractures in the middle of the diaphyses were created in the right tibiae and bFGF was injected into the fracture sites at a single dose of 200 μg. The time course of changes in callus volume and morphology of the fracture sites were evaluated at weeks 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 after treatment, and the fracture strength was analyzed at weeks 16 and 32. At week 2, a radiogram of the fracture site showed obvious membranous ossification in the group injected with bFGF. Basic FGF extended the callus area at week 4 and increased the bone mineral content (BMC) in the callus at week 8. bFGF also increased the osteoclast number in the periosteal callus at weeks 2 and 4. In the bFGF group, a maximal increase in the osteoclast index was found at week 4, and an identical increase was recognized in the control group at weeks 8 and 16. These findings strongly suggested that bFGF stimulated not only callus formation but osteoclastic callus resorption. BMC in the bFGF group was followed by a rapid decrease from week 8, while that in the control group was identical from week 4. Fracture strength of the bFGF group showed significant recovery by week 16, and recovery was still evident by week 32. We conclude that bFGF promotes the fracture healing in dogs by the stimulation of bone remodeling.