Expression of bone morphogenic protein 2/4, transforming growth factor-β1, and bone matrix protein expression in healing area between vascular tibia grafts and irradiated bone—experimental model of osteonecrosis

Purpose For the surgical treatment of osteoradionecrosis after multimodal therapy of head-and-neck cancers, free vascular bone grafts are used to reconstruct osseous structures in the previously irradiated graft bed. Reduced, or even absent osseous healing in the transition area between the vascular graft and the irradiated graft bed represents a clinical problem. Inflammatory changes and fibrosis lead to delayed healing, triggered by bone morphogentic protein 2/4 (BMP2/4) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β 1 . Given the well-known fibrosis-inducing activity of TGF-β 1 , an osteoinductive effect has been reported for BMP2/4. However, the influence of irradiation (RT) on this cytokine expression remains elusive. Therefore, the aim of the present in vivo study was to analyze the expression of BMP2/4, TGF-β 1 , collagen I, and osteocalcin in the transition area between the bone graft and the graft bed after RT. Methods and materials Twenty Wistar rats (male, weight 300–500 g) were used in this study. A free vascular tibia graft was removed in all rats and maintained pedicled in the groin region. Ten rats underwent RT with 5 × 10 Gy to the right tibia, the remainder served as controls. After 4 weeks, the previously removed tibia grafts were regrafted into the irradiated (Group 1) and nonirradiated (Group 2) graft beds. The interval between RT and grafting was 4 weeks. After a 4-week osseous healing period, the bone grafts were removed, and the transition area between the nonirradiated graft and the irradiated osseous graft bed was examined histomorphometrically (National Institutes of Health imaging program) and immunohistochemically (avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex) for the expression of BMP2/4, TGF-β 1 , collagen I, and osteocalcin. Results Absent or incomplete osseous healing of the graft was found in 9 of 10 rats after RT with 50 Gy and in 1 of 10 of the rats with nonirradiated osseous grafts. Histomorphometrically, the proportion of osseous healing in the transition area was 17% in Group 1 and 48% in Group 2 ( p = 0.001). Compared with the nonirradiated rats, reduced enchondral and perichondral ossification was found in the healing area after RT, with a reduction of BMP2/4 and osteocalcin expression. TGF-β 1 and collagen I expression in the transition area to the irradiated osseous graft bed was significantly increased compared with that in the nonirradiated osseous graft bed. Conclusion After RT, osseous healing of vascular bone grafts is significantly reduced and may be a result of radiation-induced inhibition of BMP2/4 and osteocalcin expression. In addition, induction of TGF-β 1 and collagen I expression occurs. Because the effects of the TGF-β superfamily are manifold and partially unknown, additional research directions could be in the exogenous application of BMP2/4 and inhibition of TGF-β 1 by antibody treatment to search for appropriate therapeutic approaches for improving osseous healing in the irradiated graft bed.