The effectiveness of basic fibroblast growth factor in fibrin-based cultured skin substitute in vivo

Cultured skin substitute (CSS), comprised keratinocytes and fibroblasts in a biopolymer matrix, is useful for adjunctive burn therapy. However, the vascularization of CSS is much slower than split-thickness autografts, because it lacks a vascular plexus. This study evaluated the influence of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on fibrin-based CSS grafting in vivo. Fibrin-based CSS treated with 0, 0.26, 1.3, 6.5, 13, or 130 microg/cm bFGF was transplanted into athymic mice, and macroscopic and histologic examinations of the graft were performed on day 21 posttransplantation. Engrafted CSS of the 0.26 to 6.5 microg/cm bFGF treatment groups were similar to the untreated control. However, the engrafted area was significantly suppressed in the 13 microg/cm bFGF treatment group, and the 130 microg/cm bFGF treatment group was not engrafted. Neovascularization of CSS was significantly increased in the 1.3 microg/cm bFGF treatment group compared with the control (P < .05). The number of human fibroblastic cells in CSS that were positive for vimentin increased significantly in the 0.26 and 1.3 microg/cm bFGF treatment groups (P < .01). CSS treated with 0.26 to 6.5 microg/cm bFGF showed normal epidermis with keratinizing stratified squamous epithelium, whereas the thickness of the epidermis and proliferation of keratinocytes in the basal layer was decreased. These results demonstrated that bFGF treatment (1.3 microg/cm) in fibrin-based CSS may enhance angiogenesis and fibroblast proliferation after transplantation.