Effect of human albumin in combination of blood derivatives rich in growth factors in the wound healing capability of corneal epithelial cells

Abstract

Purpose: Blood derivatives rich in growth factors are good promoters of corneal wound healing. Our aim is to test in vitro the capability of human albumin as a synergic compound combined with a blood derivative rich in growth factors to improve the healing rate of corneal epithelial cells.

Methods: In vitro proliferation and wound healing experiments were performed using the human corneal epithelial HCE cell line. We studied the following treatments: 1) 20% Serum of Plasma Rich in Growth Factors (s-PRGF) 2) 50% s-PRGF 3) 10% Human serum albumin (albumin) 4) 20% s-PRGF+10% albumin 5) 50% s-PRGF+10% albumin 6) 10% FBS and 7) 1% bovine serum albumin (BSA) as control. To manufacture s-PRGF whole blood was collected by venipuncture from healthy volunteers.

Results: The results show that human albumin induces highly significant higher proliferation of HCE cells than any dose of s-PRGF after 72 hours of treatment. Moreover, no significant differences are found among human albumin, 20% s-PRGF+albumin and 50% s-PRGF+albumin. Conversely, 20% and 50% s-PRGF treatments improve cell migration with respect to the rest of the treatments, with statistically significant differences. Treatments of albumin, 20% s-PRGF+albumin and 50% s-PRGF+albumin do not show significant differences among them.

Conclusions: Human albumin by itself induces higher proliferation of epithelial corneal cells but lower cell migration, compared with the effect of the blood derivative s-PRGF. In addition, combination of both does not improve proliferation and affects negatively migration.

Keywords: 765 wound healing • 482 cornea: epithelium