Scientists at the University of Sydney have introduced a biodegradable nanomaterial that produced nearly 80% more new bone compared to conventional materials and triggered growth factors at ten times the efficacy of traditional methods, especially for children with cleft lip and palate. This cutting-edge “nanobone” technology leverages the body’s natural healing abilities, which may eliminate the need for invasive graft surgeries that have remained largely unchanged for over fifty years.
This research, published in ACS Nano, highlights the promising outcomes of this material, developed in collaboration with the University of Queensland. In preclinical tests, the nanobone exhibited an impressive ability to enhance bone growth, producing nearly 80% more new bone compared to conventional materials over an eight-week timeframe. Additionally, it triggered a crucial growth factor necessary for bone repair, showing ten times the efficacy of traditional methods.
Lead researcher Associate Professor Chun Xu, a Sydney Horizon Fellow within the Faculty of Medicine and Health, remarked, “The material activates dormant repair signals in the body, triggering a cascade of healing processes that attract bone-forming stem cells and stimulate new bone growth.” This innovation could allow children to undergo repair earlier than the current 10–12 year delay, reducing years of difficulty eating, speaking, and building self-esteem.
Cleft lip and palate occur in about 1 in 700 births, resulting from the incomplete fusion of the upper lip or the palate during pregnancy. Repairing the jawbone is a complex aspect of treatment, often requiring patients to delay surgical procedures until they are between 10 and 12 years old. Such postponements can severely hinder their ability to eat, speak, and build self-esteem.
“One of the major challenges for children born with cleft lip and palate is addressing the bone defect in the jaw,” Xu noted. He pointed out that many children face years of challenges that affect their social development and confidence. “Our long-term aim is to create materials that promote natural bone regeneration and minimize the need for these invasive and painful surgeries,” he continued.
Each year, over four million bone repair operations are performed globally. Traditional approaches usually involve harvesting bone from the patient or utilizing animal-derived materials primarily as structural fillers. In contrast, the novel calcium-aluminosilicate nanomaterial activates the body’s own latent Transforming Growth Factor β1 (TGF-β1), thereby enhancing the natural healing process. This activation attracts bone-forming stem cells to the injury site, encouraging their transformation into bone-producing cells. Eventually, the body replaces the nanomaterial with its own tissue.
This innovative material also promotes rapid blood clotting in approximately 30 seconds, which is crucial for stabilizing the injury site during the early phases of healing. Xu explained, “We’ve developed a material that can help activate those signals at the right place and time. Rather than providing external growth factors, we’re encouraging the body to utilize its own healing capabilities.”
The study represents the first successful demonstration of a nanomaterial that effectively integrates rapid hemostasis, activation of endogenous growth factors, recruitment of bone-forming stem cells, and enhanced bone regeneration. The researchers are exploring for use in personalized 3D-printed scaffolds tailored to the specific bone defects of individual patients. “Every patient has unique needs, and every bone defect varies,” he emphasized, highlighting the potential for customized treatments in the future.
Via: phys.org
