Opposite Effects of Recombinant Human Transforming Growth Factor-β1 on Bone Regeneration In Vivo: Effects of Exclusion of Periosteal Cells by Microporous Membrane

The efficacy of local delivery of recombinant human transforming growth factor-β1 (rhTGF-β1) to promote bone regeneration, with or without cellular contribution from the periosteum, was evaluated in transosseous defects. Implantation of rhTGF-β1 into 5 mm in diameter “critical size defects” in the rat mandible resulted in a dose-dependent (0.1–20 μg/defect) bone bridging at both 12 and 24 days, independent of the type of delivery system [3% methyl cellulose gel, porous CaCO3 particles, or poly(lactide-co-glycolide) beads]. The bridging, however, never exceeded 24% at 12 days or 34% after 24 days. In contrast, when access of cells from the periosteum to the defect was prevented by means of microporous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene barrier membranes (GORE-TEX® membrane), rhTGF-β1 caused a dose-dependent inhibition of bone regeneration. The bioactivity of the growth factor was confirmed by implantation of 5 or 10 μg rhTGF-β1 in 12 mm in diameter bicortical defects in rabbit calvaria, which resulted in complete bone healing within 28 days, whereas control defects displayed a bridging of 40%–50%. The findings support the concept, based on in vitro experiments by others, that TGF-β1 primarily has a proliferative effect on cells already committed to the osteoblastic lineage, but also imply that TGF-β1 may be inhibitory to induction of osteogenic cells in vivo.