Injectable platelet rich fibrin (i-PRF): opportunities in regenerative dentistry?

• Published in: Clinical oral investigations Vol. 21; no. 8; pp. 2619 - 2627
• Main Authors: Miron, Richard J., Fujioka-Kobayashi, Masako, Hernandez, Maria, Kandalam, Umadevi, Zhang, Yufeng, Ghanaati, Shahram, Choukroun, Joseph
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-11-2017; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biocompatibility; Cell culture; Coagulants; Collagen; Dentistry; Fibrin; Fibroblasts; Growth factors; Insulin-like growth factor I; Medicine; mRNA; Original Article; Plastics; Platelet-derived growth factor; Platelets; Tissue culture; Tissue engineering; Transforming growth factor-b1; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Wound healing; Fibroblasts; Fibrin; Regeneration; Platelet rich fibrin; Wound healing; Blood platelets
• ISSN: 1432-6981; 1436-3771
• DOI: 10.1007/s00784-017-2063-9

Objectives
Platelet rich plasma (PRP) has been utilized in regenerative dentistry as a supra-physiological concentrate of autologous growth factors capable of stimulating tissue regeneration. Despite this, concerns have been expressed regarding the use of anti-coagulants, agents known to inhibit wound healing. In this study, a liquid formulation of platelet rich fibrin (PRF) termed injectable-PRF (i-PRF) without the use of anti-coagulants was investigated.
Materials and methods
Standard PRP and i-PRF (centrifuged at 700 rpm (60G) for 3 min) were compared for growth factor release up to 10 days (8 donor samples). Furthermore, fibroblast biocompatibility at 24 h (live/dead assay); migration at 24 h; proliferation at 1, 3, and 5 days, and expression of PDGF, TGF-β, and collagen1 at 3 and 7 days were investigated.
Results
Growth factor release demonstrated that in general PRP had higher early release of growth factors whereas i-PRF showed significantly higher levels of total long-term release of PDGF-AA, PDGF-AB, EGF, and IGF-1 after 10 days. PRP showed higher levels of TGF-β1 and VEGF at 10 days. While both formulations exhibited high biocompatibility and higher fibroblast migration and proliferation when compared to control tissue-culture plastic, i-PRF induced significantly highest migration whereas PRP demonstrated significantly highest cellular proliferation. Furthermore, i-PRF showed significantly highest mRNA levels of TGF-β at 7 days, PDGF at 3 days, and collagen1 expression at both 3 and 7 days when compared to PRP.
Conclusions
i-PRF demonstrated the ability to release higher concentrations of various growth factors and induced higher fibroblast migration and expression of PDGF, TGF-β, and collagen1. Future animal research is now necessary to further validate the use of i-PRF as a bioactive agent capable of stimulating tissue regeneration.
Clinical relevance
The findings from the present study demonstrate that a potent formulation of liquid platelet concentrates could be obtained without use of anti-coagulants.