Promotion of the osteogenetic activity of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein by basic fibroblast growth factor

In this study, we investigated the promotive effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the osteogenetic activity of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) used in conjunction with porous hydroxyapatite ceramic pellets. Results showed that there was extensive bone formation as early as 3 weeks after insertion in the group that received pellets treated with a relatively large amount of recombinant human (rh) BMP alone as well as in the group in which pellets were treated with a small amount of rhBMP combined with rhbFGF. Subsequently, osteogenesis within the pores of the pellets of the two groups slowly progressed over lime; by 9 weeks after insertion,most of the pellet pores were filled with newly generated bone. In contrast, the group that received pellets treated with rhbFGF alone showed little osteogenesis, as was the case with the control group. The group that received the pellets treated with the small amount of rhBMP as well as the rhbFGF group exhibited significantly greater bone induction than the group that received the pellets treated with the small amount of rhBMP alone. These results indicated that a very small amount of rhbFGF has a strong promotive effect on the osteogenetic activity of rhBMP.