Platelet-rich Plasma and Platelet-rich fibrin in human cell culture

Objectives. The clinical use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for preprosthetic surgery has been a matter of controversy until now. Only recently, a new blood preparation has been developed which results in platelet-rich fibrin (PRF). The objective of the present investigation was to examine the growth factor release from PRP and PRF in vitro. Study design. Whole blood samples from healthy participants (n = 10) were drawn to generate PRP and PRF. Human osteoblasts (O), human fibroblasts (F), and human osteoblast-derived osteosarcoma cells (Saos-2) were used for the cell culture. Cells of each cell line were cultivated, and PRP- or PRF-preparations added for ten days. The drawn medium was pooled and the quantities of growth factors (platelet-derived growth factor isomers AB and BB, insulin-like growth factor I, and transforming growth factor (TGF) isomers beta 1 and beta 2) analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results. In osteoblast and Saos-2 cultures, cytokine concentrations were significantly higher for PRP than for PRF (P < .05). In fibroblast cultures, results were the same with the exception of TGF-beta 2 (P < .05). Conclusions. This study demonstrates that PRP application in cell cultures leads to higher levels of growth factors than PRF application. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2009; 108: 48-55)