A new role for marine skeletal proteins in regenerative orthopaedics

Abstract

Use of ready-made marine skeletons is one of the simplest possible remedies to major problems hindering the future development of regenerative orthopaedics- such as, providing a richness of framework designs and now a potentially rich, accessible source of osteopromotive analogues and biomineralisation proteins. It has already been shown that coral and marine sponge skeletons can support self-sustaining musculoskeletal tissues and that extracts of spongin collagen and nacre seashell organic matrices promote bone mineralisation. This should not be surprising given that the pivotal biomineralisation proteins, which orchestrate bone morphogenesis are also found in the earliest calcifying marine organisms. This is because they are representatives of the first molecular components established for calcification, morphogenesis and wound healing. In support of this notion, it has emerged that BMP molecules- the main cluster of bone growth factors for human bone morphogenesis- are secreted by endodermal cells into the developing skeleton. In addition, the regenerative signalling proteins, TGF-b and Wnt-prime targets in bone therapeutics- are also present in early marine sponge development and instrumental to stem cell activation in Cnidarians. Based on this match between vertebrate and invertebrate main developmental proteins, we review the nature and extent of this evolutionary relatedness and use it to support the development of a new strategy, which is to mine selected marine origin organic matrices for novel metabolic, signalling and structural proteins/peptides and protein analogues to apply in regenerative orthopaedics, particularly when using adult stem cells. To support such a proposal we show early stage evidence-gathered in our own laboratory- of the presence of fibrinogen fragments and early osteopromotive effects of a coral organic matrix extract on stem cells. In practice the discovery of new osteopromotive and osteo-accelerant protein analogues will require use of traditional chromatography techniques, osteoactivity assays to hone in on potential proteins of significance and advanced proteomic tools to provide accurate sequencing, determine the mechanisms and molecular pathways involved in osteoactivation and determine the efficiency and effectiveness of marine skeleton-derived protein modulation of the stem cell (MSC) proteome. As more analogues are discovered using proteomic tools, skeletal organic matrices may have ever increasing utility for regenerative orthopaedics.