Effects of transplantation of FGF-2-transfected MSCs and XACB on TNF-α expression with avascular necrosis of the femoral head in rabbits

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of the transplantation of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) gene-transfected mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and xenogeneic antigen-cancellous bone (XACB) on tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expression with avascular necrosis of the femoral head (ANFH) in rabbits. Methods: The models of steroid-induced osteonecrosis in rabbits were randomly divided into five groups: A (model), B (XACB), C (XACB + MSCs), D (XACB + MSCs + LV), and E (XACB + MSCs + LV-FGF-2) groups. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining. Immunohistochemical and RT-PCR assays were used to detect the protein and mRNA expression of TNF-α in the femoral head, respectively. Results: At 12 weeks after the operation, the defect in rabbits in group E was completely repaired, while defects in rabbits in the other groups were not completely repaired, and the area of new bone formation was higher, when compared with the other groups ( P <0.05). Furthermore, the protein and mRNA expression TNF-α was lower at 3, 6, and 12 weeks after surgery, when compared with the other groups, and the difference was statistically significant ( P <0.05). Conclusion: FGF-2/MSCs/XACB could promote the repair of ANFH, and may be correlated to the inhibition of TNF-α expression.