A Decellularized Porcine Xenograft-Derived Bone Scaffold for Clinical Use as a Bone Graft Substitute: A Critical Evaluation of Processing and Structure

Abstract

Background: Bone grafts are used in approximately one half of all musculoskeletal surgeries. Autograft bone is the historic gold standard but is limited in supply and its harvest imparts significant morbidity to the patient. Alternative sources of bone graft include allografts, synthetics and, less commonly, xenografts which are taken from animal species. Xenografts are available in unlimited supply from healthy animal donors with controlled biology, avoiding the risk of human disease transmission, and may satisfy current demand for bone graft products. Methods: In the current study, cancellous bone was harvested from porcine femurs and subjected to a novel decellularization protocol to derive a bone scaffold. Results: The scaffold was devoid of donor cellular material on histology and DNA sampling (p < 0.01). Microarchitectural properties important for osteoconductive potential were preserved after decellularization as shown by high resolution imaging modalities. Proteomics data demonstrated similar profiles when comparing the porcine bone scaffold against commercially available human demineralized bone matrix approved for clinical use. Conclusion: We are unaware of any porcine-derived bone graft products currently used in orthopaedic surgery practice. Results from the current study suggest that porcine-derived bone scaffolds warrant further consideration to serve as a potential bone graft substitute.

Ridge preservation following tooth extraction using bovine xenograft compared with porcine xenograft: A randomized controlled clinical trial

“…Similar to bovine xenografts, the crystalline structure of porcine xenografts is comparable to human bone after processing . The anorganic bone mineral matrix has interconnecting macro and microscopic porous architecture which reduces the bulk density of the graft and allows for more void space for new bone growth.…”

“…10 Similar to bovine xenografts, the crystalline structure of porcine xenografts is comparable to human bone after processing. 12 The anorganic bone mineral matrix has interconnecting macro and microscopic porous architecture which reduces the bulk density of the graft and allows for more void space for new bone growth. Even though porcine-derived products are widely available in the dentistry, there are limited data reporting on the osteoconductive effectiveness of these products and how they compare to the commonly used bovine xenografts.…”

A porcine xenograft‐derived bone scaffold is a biocompatible bone graft substitute: An assessment of cytocompatibility and the alpha‐Gal epitope

“…19 We previously reported on a decellularization and oxidation protocol used to derive tissue scaffolds from both allograft and xenograft tendon, meniscus and bone tissues. [20][21][22][23][24] We showed the decellularization protocol significantly reduced α-Gal content in porcine patellar tendon grafts. 20 Most recently, we reported a structural analysis of a bone scaffold derived from porcine cancellous bone using this same protocol.…”

“…Bone scaffolds were derived from cancellous bone using a decellularization and oxidation protocol previously described. 24 Briefly, femurs were aseptically retrieved from freshly sacrificed 3-4-yearold female pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) at an abattoir under a stategranted research permit. Cross sections were taken from the distal metaphysis using an autopsy saw, and uniform cancellous bone cylinders were machined on a drill press.…”

“…20 Most recently, we reported a structural analysis of a bone scaffold derived from porcine cancellous bone using this same protocol. 24 This bone scaffold is intended to serve as the first porcine-derived bone graft substitute for clinical orthopedic use. In the current study, we hypothesized that a bone scaffold can be derived from porcine cancellous bone that is:…”