PRIMATE SCIENCE RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
Oct. 22, 1999
"Child receives bone growth surgery successful in monkeys"
(Courtesy Oregon Regional Primate Research Center)

Surgeons and researchers in Oregon have reason to be confident that their
pioneering attempt to repair the cranium of a child through use of a
protein that stimulates bone growth will succeed. The reason: the protein
and the surgical procedure of introducing it into bone tissue was first
tested on arm and leg defects of rhesus monkeys.

Drs. Alan Seyfer and Jeffrey Hollinger, members of the plastic and
reconstructive surgery division at the Oregon Health Sciences University
(OHSU), conducted the procedure in September on 12-year old Emily Lang of
Portland, Oregon, who has worn a helmet for half of her life to protect her
brain from injury. Through infection, Emily's skull had disintegrated,
opening several life-threatening gaps.

The doctors placed a molecule of genetically engineered bone morphogenetic
protein (BMP) on a gauze-like pad that they laid across several gaps.
According to Hollinger, the pad, made of collagen-based materials, becomes
a "condominium for cells" to reproduce and fill in for the missing bone.

Since 1993, the two researchers have been testing the reconstructive
efficacy of BMP on bone defects in monkeys at the Primate Center and at
OHSU. According to Hollinger, nonhuman primates are valuable in testing BMP
because they share with humans a similar anatomy and skeletal growth
pattern. "The monkeys never feel pain," he said, "because the procedures
are done under anesthesia, the animals receive comparably greater
post-operative painkilling medication than humans who undergo the same
surgeries and they are constantly monitored for any signs of distress."

Now similar clinical trials are currently being done with people, but the
procedure had never been tried on a human skull or a child until Emily came
along. The doctors hope that if it works with Emily, it could one day be
useful for treating such conditions as fractures resulting from traumatic
accidents, osteoporosis, tumors and birth defects such as cleft palates.
Emily's surgery went very well, but Hollinger and Seyfer caution that it
will be months before they know if it worked.

BMP, which stimulates bone growth, can now be manufactured in large enough
quantities for research and clinical use, and Genetics Institute, Inc.,
provided the protein to the OHSU team.

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References:
Schmitt JM et al. March 1999. Bone morphogenetic proteins: an update on
basic biology and clinical relevance. J Orthop Res.

Hollinger et al. Winter 1998. Recombinant human bone morphogenetic
protein-2 and collagen for bone regeneration. J Biomed Mater Research.

Zegzula et al. December 1997. Bone formation with use of rhBMP-2
(recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2) J Bone Joint Surg Am.

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Primate-Science Research Highlights appears every other week and focuses
broadly on research involving non-human primates. Coverage includes
biomedicine, behavior, conservation and veterinary science. Please
submit highlights for this column to Larry Jacobsen, Primate-Science Research
Highlights editor, at jacobsen@primate.wisc.edu. A 300-word limit and
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supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health,
National Center for Research Resources.  Copyright 1999,
Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Center. No portion of this highlight
may be copied or redistributed without the consent of the editor.

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