It is not known if the radiation sterilisation dose (RSD) of 25 kGy affects mechanical properties and biocompability of allograft bone by alteration of collagen triple helix or cross-links. Our aim was to investigate the mechanical and biological performance, cross-links and degraded collagen content of irradiated bone allografts.

Human femoral shafts were sectioned into cortical bone beams (40 × 4 × 2 mm) and irradiated at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 kGy for three-point bending tests. Corresponding cortical bone slices were used for in vitro determination of macrophage activation, osteoblast proliferation and attachment, and osteoclast formation and fusion. Subsequently, irradiated cortical bone samples were hydrolised for determination of pyridinoline (PYD), deoxypyridinoline (DPD), and pentosidine (PEN) by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and collagen degradation by the alpha chymotrypsin (ï_jCT) method.

Irradiation up to 25 kGy did not affect the elastic properties of cortical bone, but the modulus of toughness was decreased from 87% to 74% of controls when the gamma dose increased from 15 to 25 kGy. Macrophages activation, the proliferation and attachment of osteoblasts on irradiated bone was not affected. Osteoclast formation and fusion were less than 40% of controls when cultured on bone irradiated at 25 kGy, and 80% at 15 kGy. Increasing radiation dose did not significantly alter the content of PYR, DPD or PEN but increased the content of denatured collagen.

Cortical allografts fragility increases at doses above 15 kGy. Decreased osteoclast viability at these doses suggests a reduction in the capacity for bone remodelling. These changes were not correlated with alterations in collagen cross-links but in degradation to the collagen secondary structure as evidenced by increased content of denatured collagen.