Cannulated
screws, containing an internal hole for inserting a
guide pin, are commonly used in the management of bone fractures.
Cannulated Mg screws can be biodegraded easily because their increased
surface area including that of the inner hole rapidly reacts with
body fluids. To delay biodegradation of cannulated Mg screws and improve
bone regeneration, we developed a specific type of screw by injecting
it with gelatin hydrogels [10 wt % gelatin(gel) with 0.09
v/v % glutaraldehyde (cross-linker)] containing different concentrations
(5, 10, or 25 μg/mL) of bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs). We
analyzed the properties and biocompatibility of the screws with and
without BMP-2 and found that the release rate of BMP-2 in the hydrogel
changed proportionately with the degradation rate of the cross-linked
hydrogel. Loading BMP-2 in the hydrogel resulted in sustained release
of BMP-2 for 25 to 40 days or more. The degradation rate of BMP-2
hydrogels was inversely proportional to the concentration of BMP-2.
The injection of the hydrogels in the cannulated screw delayed biodegradation
inside of the screw by simulated body fluid. It also induced uniform
corrosion and the precipitation of bioactive compounds onto the surface
of the screw. In addition, osteoblast proliferation was very active
near the BMP-2 hydrogels, depending on the BMP-2 concentration. The
BMP-2 in the hydrogel improved cell differentiation. The cannulated
screw injected with 10 μL/mL BMP-2 hydrogel prevented implant
biodegradation and enhanced osteoconduction and osteointegration inside
and outside the screw. In addition, the properties of BMP-2-loaded
hydrogels can be changed by controlling the amount of the cross-linker
and protein, which could be useful for tissue regeneration in other
fields.