BDNF improves the survival of mesenchymal stem cells cultured on prestructured gelatin material for bone regeneration with strontium and calcium phosphates

Paul Thomas Itting^1,2*Benjamin Kruppke³Thomas Hanke³Vinu Vijayan²Christian Heiss^2,4,5Katrin Susanne Lips^2*

• ¹Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
• ²Experimental Trauma Surgery, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Gießen, Germany
• ³Max Bergmann Zentrum für Biomaterialien, Dresden, Lower Saxony, Germany
• ⁴Department of Trauma, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital of Giessen-Marburg, Campus: Giessen, Gießen, Germany
• ⁵Adjunct Professor of Orthopedics, Biruni University, Istanbul, Türkiye, Istanbul, Türkiye

The treatment of osteoporotic fractures is still challenging and may be improved by materials for bone regeneration such as prestructured gelatin with calcium and strontium phosphates (PPGC+S) combined with brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Recently it was shown that PPGC+S stimulates bone formation and BNDF improves cell survival. This approach aimed to analyze the combined effect of PPGC+S and BDNF on the survival of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) of osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic female donors. In our study, cells were seeded on PPGC+S plates with following mineral composition of C+S of (a) 5:5, (b) 3:7, and (c) 0:10 (PPGS 0:10). Apoptosis and necrosis were measured after addition of BDNF followed by light microscopic analysis. Application of BDNF resulted in declined necrosis and apoptosis in every biomaterial. The lowest level of necrosis was found at PPGC+S 5:5. Apoptosis was mostly reduced at PPGC+S 3:7 but without significant difference against PPGC+S 5:5. No differences were determined for osteoporotic compared to non-osteoporotic MSC. Thus, PPGC+S 5:5 seemed to be most suitable for bone healing especially with the supplementation of BDNF.