In Vitro Evaluation of the Mitogenic Effect of Platelet‐Derived Growth Factor‐BB on Human Periodontal Ligament Cells Cultured with Various Bone Allografts

Background: Several studies have documented the role of growth factors in periodontal regeneration. It has been shown that platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) is a potent stimulator of human periodontal ligament (PDL) cells. A variety of bone graft materials are used to treat osseous defects caused by periodontal disease. We evaluated the mitogenic effect of PDGF on human PDL cells cultured with different allografts to determine which of the allografts with or without PDGF promoted periodontal regeneration. Methods: Two human demineralized freeze‐dried allografts of cortical (DFDBA) and cancellous (DFBA) bone and a non‐demineralized freeze‐dried allograft (FBA) from cancellous bone were used alone or supplemented with PDGF‐BB. Human PDL cultures were derived from the mid‐root of 2 maxillary premolars extracted for orthodontic reasons. Cells were grown separately in 24‐well dishes with or without 20 mg of each bone allograft. On day 2 of quiescence, new medium was added with 10 ng/ml of PDGFBB. DNA synthesis was estimated by measuring [3H] thymidine incorporation to determine the effects of the test agents on cell proliferation. Cells were processed and subjected to scintillation counting after 48 hours of incubation. Counts per minute (cpm/well) were determined for each sample. Results: There was no statistically significant difference (P