Estimation of the use of fibrin and collagen membranes as carriers for platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) in the presence of amoxicillin.

The effect of homogeneous fibrin (Fb), collagen (Coll) and composite fibrin-heparin (Fb-Hp), fibrin-collagen (Fb-Coll) membranes on in vitro release of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-BB) was evaluated in the presence or absence of amoxicillin using of the ELISA immunoassay test. Amoxicillin concentration was determined spectrophotometrically at 272 nm. The process of the PDGF-BB growth factor and amoxicillin release from the studied membranes was of a two-phase nature in the majority of the systems analysed. The PDGF-BB was released in the highest amount from the Coll membrane (M7) without the presence of amoxicillin – 546.2 ±7.47 pg, t0.5 = 0.88 h and 202.5 ± 6.83 pg, t0.5 = 26.65 h during the first phase and second phase, respectively. The lowest PDGF-BB release was observed from composite M4 (Fb-Hp) membrane – 5.88 ± 0.81 pg, t0.5 = 1.69 h; and 110.2 ± 6.48 pg, t0.5 = 855.6 h during first and second phase respectively. An optimal release of amoxicillin was observed in the case of the composite M6 (Fb-Coll) membrane – only in the second phase: 64.2 ± 7.8 mg, t0.5 = 83.5 h. The lowest and delayed amoxicillin release was achieved for M4 membrane (approx. 17.1 ± 1.12 mg, t0.5 = 46.5 h). The results of the PDGF-BB release and amoxicillin from membranes indicated a correlation between the level of release and composition of the film. Our results suggested that fibrin and collagen membranes may be beneficial to enhance periodontal bone regeneration.

Comparison between heparin-conjugated fibrin and collagen sponge as bone morphogenetic protein-2 carriers for bone regeneration

Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) is used to promote bone regeneration. However, the bone regeneration ability of BMP-2 relies heavily on the delivery vehicle. Previously, we have developed heparin-conjugated fibrin (HCF), a vehicle for long-term delivery of BMP-2 and demonstrated that long-term delivery of BMP-2 enhanced its osteogenic efficacy as compared to short-term delivery at an equivalent dose. The aim of this study was to compare the bone-forming ability of the BMP-2 delivered by HCF to that delivered by clinically utilized BMP-2 delivery vehicle collagen sponge. An in vitro release profile of BMP-2 showed that HCF released 80% of the loaded BMP-2 within 20 days, whereas collagen sponge released the same amount within the first 6 days. Moreover, the BMP-2 released from the HCF showed significantly higher alkaline phosphatase activity than the BMP-2 released from collagen sponge at 2 weeks in vitro. Various doses of BMP-2 were delivered with HCF or collagen sponge to mouse calvarial defects. Eight weeks after the treatment, bone regeneration was evaluated by computed tomography, histology, and histomorphometric analysis. The dose of BMP-2 delivered by HCF to achieve 100% bone formation in the defects was less than half of the BMP-2 dose delivered by collagen sponge to achieve a similar level of bone formation. Additionally, bone regenerated by the HCF-BMP-2 had higher bone density than bone regenerated by the collagen sponge-BMP-2. These data demonstrate that HCF as a BMP-2 delivery vehicle exerts better osteogenic ability of BMP-2 than collagen sponge, a clinically utilized delivery vehicle.

Implementación de una técnica in house para la producción de geles de plaquetas a partir de hemocomponentes de donantes voluntarios / Implementation of an in house technique to produce platelets gel from blood components from volunteer blood donors

Se implementó una técnica para producir geles de fibrina y geles de plaquetas a partir de hemocomponentes de banco de sangre, en el Hospital Nacional de Niños de Costa Rica. Se aplicaron nueve combinaciones de, tres volúmenes de gluconato de calcio al 10% y tres volúmenes del sobrenadante de trombina obtenido a partir de plasma fresco congelado (PFC), con un volumen definido de PFC (plasma pobre en plaquetas) o, el mismo volumen de concentrado de plaquetas (CP). Se midieron los tiempos de gelificación in vitro, obteniéndose que la combinación 6 mL PRP/PPP más 0.5 mL de gluconato de calcio al 10% más 1.5 mL trombina, parece ser la más adecuada. Las pruebas de tamizaje de la coagulación son útiles para explicar tiempos de gelificación tardíos.

Ultrastructural evaluation of human keratinocyte growth and differentiation on a fibrin substrate / Avaliação ultraestrutural do crescimento e da diferenciação de queratinócitos sobre um substrato de fibrina

PURPOSE: In order to circumvent several difficulties that have been met in the routine use of the in vitro keratinocyte cultures using the standard procedure described by Rheinwald and Green, and obtain a more resilient and the least possible immunogeneic skin substitute for a future clinical application, this work studied a new keratinocyte culture system, which envisages the utilization of a fibrin substrate in association with high densities of human keratinocytes. METHODS: Through light and transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemical assays, long-term proliferative and differentiative characteristics of keratinocytes cultured onto a fibrin gel under immerse and air-liquid interface culture conditions were evaluated. RESULTS: Despite the absence of a dermal substitute, the results demonstrated that the proposed composite was constituted of a transparent and elastic fibrin film covered by a well-attached, multistratified epithelium with morphological characteristics that resemble human epidermis, including the neoformation, albeit incomplete, of the basement membrane. CONCLUSIONS: Increased mechanical resistance due to the presence of an easy handling substrate, the delivery of nonclonfluent keratinocytes as well as the removal of animal-derived cells from the culture system suggest its potential use for future transplantation purposes.

OBJETIVO: Com o intuito de contornar diversas dificuldades encontradas no uso rotineiro de queratinócitos cultivados in vitro pela técnica descrita por Rheinwald e Green, e obter um substituto cutâneo mais resistente e o menos imunogênico possível para futuras aplicações clínicas, este trabalho avaliou um novo sistema de cultura de queratinócitos que prevê a utilização de um substrato de fibrina em associação com queratinócitos humanos em alta densidade. MÉTODOS: Através de microscopia óptica e eletrônica e análise imunohistoquímica, foram avaliadas as características proliferativas e de diferenciação em longo prazo de queratinócitos cultivados em condição imersa e na interface ar-líquido. RESULTADOS: Apesar da ausência de um substituto dérmico, foi demonstrado que o composto proposto constituiu-se de um substrato de fibrina transparente e elástico coberto por epitélio multi-estratificado, bem aderido, com características morfológicas semelhantes à epiderme humana, incluindo a neo-formação, embora incompleta, da membrana basal. CONCLUSÕES: A maior resistência mecânica com a presença de um substrato de fácil manuseio, a possível liberação de queratinócitos não-confluentes, e a remoção de células com origem animal dos sistemas de cultura sugerem que o composto proposto neste estudo apresenta grande potencial para uso clínico futuro.

Polymerization of fetal fibrin and alterations in fibrin network characteristics during diabetic pregnancy.

The present study compares plasma fibrin network characteristics of fetal blood and that of normal and diabetic pregnant women. Plasma fibrinogen concentration, clotting curves, mass-length ratio of the fibrin fibers, gross permeability and tensile strength of the networks, have been measured. Plasma glucose and glycated hemoglobin are used as glycemic index in diabetic gestational women. The fetal plasma has a lower concentration of fibrin and exhibits delayed clotting, the networks are made up of thinner fibers, are more cross-linked, have lower permeability, and increased tensile strength than in normal adults. The tensile strength of the networks prepared from the plasma of diabetic gestational women are more highly crosslinked than those made from plasma of normal women of corresponding length of pregnancy. The fibrin fiber-thickness is increased during the first and second trimester but is significantly reduced during the third trimester in the diabetic gestational women. The gross permeability of the networks is significantly reduced during the second and third trimester in the diabetic gestational women. The SDS-PAGE shows characteristic pattern of alpha, beta, and gamma-polypeptides in both normal and diabetic gestational women.

Detection of post-translational sulfation of alpha-5 beta-1 integrin and its role in integrin-fibronectin binding

Fibronectins are glycoproteins of the extracellular matrix composed of two 220-kDa polypeptide chains named A and B bound by two disulfide bridges. Both chains when digested with proteolytic enzymes give rise to six different domains named I to VI that are involved in the ligand properties of this molecule. Fibronectins bind fibrin, collagen, glycosaminoglycan residues and several integrins. In this study, using metabolic radiolabeling of alpha(5)beta(1) integrin with sodium sulfate, an immunoprecipitation reaction, inhibition of sulfate incorporation an a fibronectin-binding assay, we were able to detect this integrin as a sulfated molecule and this sulfation appears to regulate the integrin-fibronectin binding.