Allogeneic platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is superior to platelets or plasma alone in stimulating fibroblast proliferation and migration, angiogenesis, and chemotaxis as relevant processes for wound healing

BACKGROUND Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is frequently used in the treatment of acute and chronic wounds. One of the major problems concerning the use of PRP is the absence of a well-characterized and standardized product, which leads to a high variety in study outcomes. Therefore, more studies on the composition and standardization of PRP in wound healing are needed. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Platelet concentrates derived from healthy blood donors were made in plasma (PC-plasma) or platelet additive solution (PC-PAS). The effects of PC-plasma, PC-PAS, and plasma were then tested on proliferation, differentiation, and migration of fibroblasts, as well as sprouting of endothelial cells in fibrin gels and chemotaxis of white blood cells (WBCs). RESULTS PC-plasma stimulates the migration and proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts more than plasma or platelets alone. Furthermore, platelet factors decrease the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin in dermal fibroblast cultures. PC-plasma also stimulates sprouting of endothelial cells. Finally, PC-plasma also acts as a strong chemoattractant for WBCs. CONCLUSIONS Allogeneic PC-plasma has beneficial effects on various aspects of wound healing in vitro and is superior to plasma or platelets alone. PC-plasma is an attractive candidate for further in vivo evaluation.