Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2025, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (10): 2067-2073.doi: 10.12307/2025.266

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Effects of different activators on platelet-rich plasma growth factors

Liu Jianxiang1, Feng Xingxing2, Wang Shuxia1, Zhou Rong1, Lyu Mengxing1, Qu Kexuan1, 3   

  1. 1Department of Blood Transfusion, 2Department of Clinical Laboratory, Kunming Children’s Hospital, Kunming 650028, Yunnan Province, China; 3Kunming Medical Technology Center for Immunology and Molecular Diagnosis of Children’s Blood Diseases, Kunming 650028, Yunnan Province, China
  • Received:2024-01-04 Accepted:2024-02-29 Online:2025-04-08 Published:2024-08-22
  • Contact: Qu Kexuan, Associate chief technician, Department of Blood Transfusion, Kunming Children’s Hospital, Kunming 650028, Yunnan Province, China; Kunming Medical Technology Center for Immunology and Molecular Diagnosis of Children’s Blood Diseases, Kunming 650028, Yunnan Province, China Co-corresponding author: Lyu Mengxing, Chief physician, Department of Blood Transfusion, Kunming Children’s Hospital, Kunming 650028, Yunnan Province, China
  • About author:Liu Jianxiang, Laboratorian-in-charge, Department of Blood Transfusion, Kunming Children’s Hospital, Kunming 650028, Yunnan Province, China
  • Supported by:
    Kunming Health Science and Technology Talent Training Project, No. 2021-SW(Province)-024 (to QKX); Kunming Health Science and Technology Talent Training Project, No. 2022-SW(Technology)-007 (to FXX, QKX); Health Scientific Research Project of Kunming Health Commission, No. 2022-06-04-003 (to QKX, LMX, LJX); Health Scientific Research Project of Kunming Health Commission, No. 2023-11-01-022 (to LJX)

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Growth factor is the key effect molecule that plays a role in platelet-rich plasma in clinical treatment. There are differences in the concentration of growth factor after different activators activate platelet-rich plasma, which is an important factor affecting clinical efficacy.
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the influence of different activators on the mass concentration of growth factors in platelet-rich plasma.
METHODS: Totally 12 healthy volunteers were recruited to collect EDTA-K2 anticoagulant venous blood. Secondary centrifugation was used to prepare platelet-rich plasma. The difference in mass concentrations of growth factors was compared between venous blood and platelet-rich plasma. The platelet-rich plasma was mixed with four activators (normal saline, thrombin, calcium gluconate, calcium gluconate + thrombin) according to the volume ratio of 10:1, and incubated in a constant temperature water bath at 37 °C for 30 minutes. After centrifugation, the supernatant was extracted and the mass concentration of growth factor was detected. The bacterial growth in supernatant was measured by blood agar plate. Pearson correlation was used to analyze the correlation between different activators and the mass concentration of growth factor in platelet-rich plasma, and the correlation between the value of thrombocytometer and the mass concentration of growth factors in platelet-rich plasma.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) The mass concentrations of platelet-derived growth factor-BB, platelet-derived growth factor-AB, vascular endothelial growth factor, and epidermal growth factor in platelet-rich plasma were 8.7, 22.2, 2.3, and 2.8 times of those in venous blood, respectively (P < 0.05). (2) Compared with normal saline group, the mass concentrations of platelet-derived growth factor BB, platelet-derived growth factor AB, vascular endothelial growth factor, and epidermal growth factor were increased in the thrombin group, calcium gluconate group, and calcium gluconate + thrombin group (P < 0.05). The mass concentration of platelet-derived growth factor BB in the thrombin group and calcium gluconate group was higher than that in the calcium gluconate + thrombin group (P < 0.05), and the mass concentration of platelet-derived growth factor AB in the thrombin group was higher than that in the calcium gluconate group and calcium gluconate + thrombin group (P < 0.05). Epidermal growth factor mass concentration in the thrombin group was lower than that in the calcium gluconate group and calcium gluconate + thrombin group (P < 0.05). (3) The results of blood agar plate test showed no bacterial growth in the supernatant of the four groups. (4) Pearson correlation analysis showed that the mass concentration of platelet-derived growth factor BB in platelet-rich plasma was strongly positively correlated with thrombin (r=0.683, P < 0.05), and the mass concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor was strongly positively correlated with thrombin, calcium gluconate, calcium gluconate + thrombin stimulant (r=0.730, 0.789, 0.686, P < 0.05). There was no correlation between the value of thrombocytometer and the mass concentration of four kinds of growth factors (P > 0.05). (5) The results suggest that different activators have an impact on the concentration of growth factors in platelet-rich plasma. It is suggested to choose different activators to improve clinical efficacy according to different growth factor mass concentrations and treatment needs.

Key words: platelet-rich plasma, thrombin, calcium gluconate, platelet-derived growth factor BB, platelet-derived growth factor AB, vascular endothelial growth factor, epidermal growth factor

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