Regeneration of anterior cruciate ligament by biodegradable scaffold combined with local controlled release of basic fibroblast growth factor and collagen wrapping.

The objective of this study was to increase the therapeutic efficacy of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery using an artificial ligament material developed through a combination of tissue engineering technologies. A poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) scaffold of plain-woven braid was incorporated with a gelatin hydrogel for controlled release of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and wrapped with a collagen membrane to allow space for ligament regeneration. For the ACL reconstruction surgery, the PLLA braid scaffold combined with the gelatin hydrogel incorporating bFGF and the collagen wrapping was applied to a tunnel prepared in the femur and tibia of rabbits. The hydrogel was placed in the bone, whereas the portion of the braid inside the joint cavity was wrapped with the membrane. As controls, the PLLA scaffold was applied with the hydrogel or the membrane, or without either material. Bone regeneration in the tunnel and ACL tissue regeneration in the joint cavity were histologically evaluated, and the mechanical strength and collagen content of the regenerated ACL were assessed. When the PLLA scaffold was integrated with both the hydrogel and the membrane, bone and ACL tissues were regenerated in the corresponding sites, in marked contrast to the control groups. Combination of bFGF-controlled release resulted in enhanced mechanical strength of the regenerated ACL tissue. In the joint cavity, it is possible that the local bFGF release inside the membrane enhanced the cell migration and collagen production, and that the surrounding PLLA scaffold results in the biological regeneration of ligament-like tissue. Additionally, significant bone regeneration around the scaffold was observed in the bone tunnel. It is therefore possible that the local controlled release of bFGF near the PLLA braid induced both osseointegration and intrascaffold cell migration in the bone tunnel and joint cavity, respectively, resulting in an overall increase in the mechanical strength of the regenerated ACL.