Periodontal regeneration via chemoattractive constructs

AIM: Chemoattractants, such as stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α), can offer an advantage for periodontal regeneration by recruiting the patient's own stem cells to stimulate self-repair. We here developed a chemoattractive construct for periodontal regeneration using SDF-1α and evaluated its efficacy in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: SDF-1α was loaded on gelatin sponge and tested in vitro for SDF-1α release. Subsequently, SDF-1α constructs were implanted into rat periodontal defects for 1 and 6 weeks, with unloaded materials and empty defects as controls. The regenerative efficacy was evaluated by micro-CT, histological and histomorphometrical analyses. RESULTS: In vitro results showed limited SDF-1α release up to 35 days. In contrast, SDF-1α constructs significantly improved periodontal defect regeneration in terms of alveolar bone height, new bone area and functional ligament length. Additionally, SDF-1α constructs decreased the inflammatory response at Week 6. CONCLUSION: Chemoattractive constructs significantly improved periodontal regeneration in terms of alveolar bone height, new bone area and functional ligament length.