Effectiveness of Heated Hematic Derivatives (Autologous Serum & Plasma Rich in Growth Factors) in Corneal Epithelial Wound Healing

Abstract

Purpose: : To study and compare the effectiveness of heated autologous hematic derivatives in corneal epithelium recovery after experimental trauma in a cell culture model.

Methods: : A wound was practiced in cultures of SV40-immortalized human corneal epithelial cells grown until confluence and incubated in different hematic derivatives as culture media: plasma, activated plasma, Plasma Rich in Growth Factors (PRGF), heated-activated-plasma and heated-PRGF (50ºC, 20 minutes). Those media were obtained from blood processing taken from the same donor. There were also two negative controls: DMEM/F12 and PBS. Photographs of wounded areas were taken each 12 hours and analyzed with a cuantitative software. Velocity of closure and time of healing were measured.

Results: : All hematic derivatives increase wound healing and the closure of the epithelial wound, compared with the negative controls. The higest rate of repare was obtained at the PRGF group. Interestingly, the rate of healing and the velocity of recovery of epithelial wound was increased in all hematic derivatives by exposing media to heat. This findings could be related to the denaturation of heat-sensible proteins present in the hematic derivatives.

Conclusions: : Topical application of heated hematic derivatives increase the in vitro epithelial wound healing compared to non heated. These results could be transfer to clinical studies in order to evaluate the putative application for epithelial wound healing therapy.

Keywords: wound healing • cornea: epithelium • drug toxicity/drug effects