Alginate combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells for repair of spinal tuberculosis:biocompatibility and mechanical properties

Yu Hua-wei; Zhang Ge

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2017.10.015

Abstract：BACKGROUND: Although considerable progress has been made in spinal tuberculosis surgery,considering the particularity of the spine position, the surgical treatment is limited by the body stress and secondary injury due to removal of the internal fixation. Tissue engineering provides a new insight into the treatment of various diseases.Ideal biomaterials instead of traditional internal fixation materials are characterized by non-toxic and non-immune rejections.OBJECTIVE: To explore the biocompatibility and mechanical properties of alginate combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells for repair of spinal tuberculosis.METHODS: Forty New Zealand rabbits were divided into four groups, 10 rats in each group: control group, spinal tuberculosis group, alginate group and titanium alloy group. The control group received no treatment, and in the other groups, boreholes were drilled in the fifth lumbar intervertebral disc and filled with gelatin sponge, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis suspension 0.1 mL (the amount of bacteria, 5 g/L)was then injected to make spinal tuberculosis models.Two months after modeling, simulated L4-5 spinal tuberculosis surgery was performed in the latter two groups, and alginate combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and titanium alloy internal fixation material were implanted,respectively.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: One rabbit in the titanium alloy group had local infection and swelling. No rabbit in the alginate group had adverse reactions, such as swelling and local infection. Anteflexion, rear protraction, lateral bending distance and maximum axial pullout force in the alginate group and titanium alloy group were superior to those in the spinal tuberculosis group (P < 0.05), which were close to normal levels (P > 0.05). The above results showed that the alginate gel combined bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells has good biocompatibility with the body after implantation,and the post-implantation spinal stability is good and close to that after implantation of the titanium alloy.