Abstract
Purpose :
Platelet and leukocyte rich plasma (L-PRP) is a source of growth factors with healing potential for ocular surface damage. We aimed to evaluate the effect of L-PRP enriched with platelet derived growth factor over epithelial conjunctival cells in a scratch assay.
Methods :
This study was conducted according to the ARVO guidelines for Human research (Ethics Committee 018-2022-CI-R, 2022). L-PRP was obtained from 1 healthy subject. We compared L-PRP, artificial eye tear drops and cell culture media on a conjunctival cell line to evaluate the potential role of L-PRP rich in PDGF as a treatment for conjunctival defects. Peripheral blood samples centrifuged at 580 g yielded L-PRP rich in PDGF. The conjunctival cell line was grown under standard culture parameters with DMEM supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. Cells were seeded onto a 24-well culture plate at a density of 116,000 cells and were grown until confluency was achieved. After 24 hours of overnight growth, the medium was removed, and a wound was created using a 1000 microliter pipette tip. L-PRP rich in PDGF, artificial eye tears and DMEM were placed onto the cells and a scratch wound assay was performed in triplicate with seriated measurement of the wound area % closure at 0, 2, 4, 6, 12 and 24 hours using the processing program ImageJ.
Results :
The supplementation of L-PRP rich in PDGF generated cell migration from the edges of the wound starting at the 2-hour mark of the experiment as expressed as the % of area closed, whereas no change was visualized in the DMEM and artificial tear groups over the course of 24 hours.
Conclusions :
L-PRP rich in PDGF is effective in promoting the healing process of conjunctival defects in an in-vitro model. Conjunctival cells maintained their polygonal morphology; therefore, the present findings warrant further research on the role of L-PRP rich in PDGF as an alternative to the standard treatment of ocular conjunctival lesions. Further analyses to establish the significance of the results are necessary.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.