OPHIS

COMPOSITE PHENOTYPIC TRIGGERS FOR BONE AND CARTILAGE REPAIR

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Osteoarthritis (OA) and osteoporosis (OP) are disabling, degenerative bone diseases with significant economic and societal impacts. The incidence of these conditions increases with age but in recent years the number of younger patients has increased, due mainly to factors related to modern life-styles. The efficiency of current pharmacologic and implant-based solutions are limited and often poorly tolerated. OPHIS aims to develop new, engineered biomaterials for the regeneration of both the osteo-chondral region and the vertebral body degenerated by OA and OP. These devices will be based on the unique combination of biological triggers in the form of (i) nanostructured biomaterials able to mimic the extracellular matrices of either bone or cartilage (ii) chemical and biochemical cues able to direct, control and preserve the phenotypes of the relevant cells in their respective histological compartments. OPHIS will explore the frontiers of knowledge of the effect of nano-structures on tissue regeneration and lead to the de-novo design of active structures able to trigger this process. User friendly and highly performing tissue substitutes will be developed as both acellular and cellular matrices for the regeneration of specific anatomical regions compromised by OA and OP. Focus will also be given to the study of the interactions occurring at nano-scale level between the implanted materials and the natural tissues. This information will complement the body of data obtained through clinically reflective in vitro and in vivo models. Dissemination will be integrated step-wise with the strategy for intellectual property protection and exploitation.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Osteoarthritis (OA) and osteoporosis (OP) are degenerative bone diseases with increasing incidence at older ages. The development of bioactive, bioresorbable bone cements able to chemically and mechanically assist regeneration of vertebral bones would represent a breakthrough in the healing of these diseases.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

OA and OP result from various mechanical and biological processes that modify cartilage homeostasis. This induces progressive deterioration and sclerosis of articular cartilage and sub-chondral bone, malformation of the overall bone structure and bone fragility.

Current pharmacologic and implant-based solutions exhibit limited efficacy and are often poorly tolerated. In this context, the EU-funded 'Composite phenotypic triggers for bone and cartilage repair' (OPHIS) project aims to develop new, engineered biomaterials for bone regeneration in OA and OP.

The biomaterials developed by the OPHIS consortium are based on the unique combination of biopolymeric scaffolds with nanostructures that mimic the extracellular matrices (ECMs) of either bone or cartilage. At the same time, these scaffolds support the chemical and biochemical requirements of both osteoblasts and chondrocytes.

The innovation in the OPHIS bioactive and biomimetic substitutes is the texture and mode of injection. Partners are generating malleable constructs in the form of hydrogel that could be implanted under minimally invasive surgery or injected in lesions.

Regarding the scaffolds for OA, various macromolecular matrices have been tested and mineralised with biomimetic hydroxyapatite nanoparticles to mimic the different compartments of the osteochondral region. The bone cements intended for OP support osteoconductivity and are based on calcium phosphates. These ceramic pastes will harden in contact with physiological fluids in less than 20 minutes.

Strontium (Sr) is recognised as an efficient anti-osteoporotic agent as it stimulates the activity of osteoblast cells and prevents bone resorption. Incorporation of Sr ions in the hydrogel scaffolds is expected to address bone regeneration. Combined with nanobeads functionalised with osteogenic, angiogenic or other growth factors, the overall functionalisation of OPHIS three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds is aimed at supporting cell differentiation.

Following in vitro testing to verify their cellular compatibility, the biomaterials developed by the OPHIS consortium hold great exploitation potential and could prove beneficial for sufferers of degenerative bone disorders.