An exploratory study on the efficacy of rat dedifferentiated fat cells (rDFATs) with a poly lactic-co-glycolic acid/hydroxylapatite (PLGA/HA) composite for bone formation in a rat calvarial defect model.

In the last two decades, tissue-engineering approaches using scaffolds, growth factors, and cells, or their combination, have been developed for the regeneration of periodontal tissue and bone. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of rat dedifferentiated fat cells (rDFATs) with a poly lactic-co-glycolic acid/hydroxylapatite (PLGA/HA) composite on bone formation in rat calvarial defects. Twenty animals surgically received two calvarial defects (diameter, 5 mm) bilaterally in each parietal bone. The defects were treated by one of the following procedures: PLGA/HA+osteo-differentiated rDFATs implantation (PLGA/HA+rDFATs (OD)); PLGA/HA+rDFATs implantation (PLGA/HA+rDFATs); PLGA/HA implantation (PLGA/HA); no implantation as a control. The animals were euthanized at 8 weeks after the surgery for histological evaluation. The PLGA/HA composite was remarkably resorbed and the amounts of residual PLGA/HA were very slight at 8 weeks after the surgery. The PLGA/HA-implanted groups (PLGA/HA+rDFATs (OD), PLGA/HA+rDFATs and PLGA/HA) showed recovery of the original volume and contour of the defects. The newly formed bone area was significantly larger in the PLGA/HA group (42.10 ± 9.16 %) compared with the PLGA/HA+rDFATs (21.35 ± 13.49 %) and control (22.17 ± 13.08 %) groups (P < 0.05). The percentage of defect closure (DC) by new bone in the PLGA/HA+rDFATs (OD) group (83.16 ± 13.87 %) was significantly greater than that in the control group (40.61 ± 29.62 %) (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the PLGA/HA+rDFATs (OD) group showed the highest level of DC among all the groups. The present results suggest that the PLGA/HA composite is a promising scaffold and that PLGA/HA+DFATs (OD) may be effective for bone formation.