Periodontal regeneration via chemoattractive constructs

AIM: Chemoattractants, such as stromal cell‐derived factor‐1α (SDF‐1α), can offer an advantage for periodontal regeneration by recruiting the patient’s own stem cells to stimulate self‐repair. We here developed a chemoattractive construct for periodontal regeneration using SDF‐1α and evaluated its efficacy in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: SDF‐1α was loaded on gelatin sponge and tested in vitro for SDF‐1α release. Subsequently, SDF‐1α constructs were implanted into rat periodontal defects for 1 and 6 weeks, with unloaded materials and empty defects as controls. The regenerative efficacy was evaluated by micro‐CT, histological and histomorphometrical analyses. RESULTS: In vitro results showed limited SDF‐1α release up to 35 days. In contrast, SDF‐1α constructs significantly improved periodontal defect regeneration in terms of alveolar bone height, new bone area and functional ligament length. Additionally, SDF‐1α constructs decreased the inflammatory response at Week 6. CONCLUSION: Chemoattractive constructs significantly improved periodontal regeneration in terms of alveolar bone height, new bone area and functional ligament length.