Anti-VEGFs hinder bone healing and implant osseointegration in rat tibiae

Aim: To assess the effect of anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) on bone healing (defect volume) and implant osseointegration (bone-implant contact per cent) in rat tibia. Materials and Methods: In Sprague-Dawley rats (n=36), a unicortical defect was created in the right tibia and a titanium implant was placed in the left tibia of each rat. Rats were assigned into three groups and received either anti-vascular endothelial growth factor neutralizing antibody, Ranibizumab or saline (control). Two weeks following surgery, rats were euthanized and bone samples were retrieved. Bone healing and osseointegration were assessed using micro-CT and histomorphometry. One-way anova followed by the Tukey's test was used for data analyses. Results: The volume of the bone defects in the anti-VEGF group (2.480.33mm(3)) was larger (p=0.026) than in the controls (2.11 +/- 0.36mm(3)) as measured by -CT. Bone-implant contact percent in the anti-VEGF (19.9 +/- 9.4%) and Ranibizumab (21.7 +/- 9.2%) groups were lower (p<0.00) than in the control group (41.8 +/- 12.4%). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that drugs that inhibit the activity of vascular endothelial growth factor (i.e. anti-VEGF) may hinder bone healing and implant osseointegration in rat tibiae.