In vivo effects of biosilica and spongin-like collagen scaffolds on the healing process in osteoporotic rats

Abstract Due to bioactive properties, introducing spongin-like collagen (SPG) into the biosilica (BS) extracted from marine sponges, would present an enhanced biological material for improving osteoporotic fracture healing by increasing bone formation rate. Our aim was to characterize the morphology of the BS/SPG scaffolds by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the chemical bonds of the material by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and evaluate the orthotopic in vivo response of BS/SPG scaffolds in tibial defects of osteoporotic fractures in rats (histology, histomorphometry and immunohistochemistry) in 2 experimental periods (15 and 30 days). SEM showed that scaffolds were porous, showing the spicules of BS and fibrous aspect of SPG. FTIR showed characteristic peaks of BS and SPG. For the in vivo studies, after 30 days BS and BS/SPG showed a higher amount of newly formed bone compared to the first experimental period, observed both in the periphery and in the central region of the bone defect. For histomorphometry, BS/SPG presented higher %BV/TV compared to the other experimental groups. After 15 days, BS presented higher volumes of collagen type I. After 30 days, all groups demonstrated higher volumes of collagen type III compared to volumes at 15 days. After 30 days, BS/SPG presented higher immunostaining of osteoprotegerin compared to the other experimental groups at the same experimental period. The results showed that BS and BS/SPG scaffolds were able of improving bone healing. Future researches should focus on the effects of BS/SPG on longer periods in vivo studies.