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Updated: Jun 13, 2026
Effects of Allogeneic Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) on the Healing Process of Sectioned Achilles Tendons of Rats: A Methodological Description
Published on: March 19, 2018
Experimental study of tendon healing early phase: is IGF-1 expression influenced by platelet rich plasma gel?
D N Lyras1, K Kazakos, G Agrogiannis
1Democritus University Hospital of Thrace, Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Alexandroupolis, Dragana, Greece. dimitrislyras@yahoo.gr
Insights
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) gel enhanced patellar tendon healing by increasing Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) expression. This study shows PRP may improve tendon defect repair through IGF-1 overexpression.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Regenerative Medicine
- Biomaterials
Background:
- Growth factors are crucial for connective tissue healing.
- The impact of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on growth factor expression in tendon healing remains understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of a single PRP gel application on a patellar tendon defect.
- To analyze the spatial and temporal expression of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) during tendon healing post-PRP treatment.
Main Methods:
- A randomized laboratory animal study involving 48 animals with surgically created patellar tendon defects.
- PRP gel was applied to the defect in the treatment group; controls received no treatment.
- Histological and immunohistochemical analyses were performed at one, two, three, and four weeks post-application.
Main Results:
- PRP treatment accelerated tendon healing compared to controls.
- Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) expression was significantly higher in the PRP group, particularly in the epitenon and endotenon.
- IGF-1 localization shifted from intracellular to tenocytes over the healing period, with superior expression in the PRP group except at week four.
Conclusions:
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) gel application may enhance patellar tendon defect healing.
- The mechanism involves the overexpression of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1).
Background:
It is well established that growth factors play a critical role in the healing process of connective tissues. To our knowledge, there are no studies in literature concerning the influence of PRP on growth factors expression.
Hypothesis:
The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a single application of platelet rich plasma (PRP) gel in a patellar tendon defect on the spatial and temporal expression of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) during tendon healing.
Materials And Methods:
Twenty-four animals were randomized to receive PRP (PRPFast, Bioteck) in a gel form (PRP group) and 24 to serve as untreated controls (Control group). A defect of 3 mm x 10 mm was surgically created on the tendon under general anaesthetic and in the PRP group, PRP gel was applied to fill the tendon defect whereas no treatment was applied in the control group. Six animals (12 limbs) from each treatment-group were sacrificed after one, two, three and four weeks following treatment. Histological and immunohistochemical staining were performed.
Results:
Histology revealed a faster healing process in the tendons of PRP group in comparison with the controls. In the first 2 weeks of healing, IGF-1 was found intracellularly in various type cells, whereas in the last 2 weeks of healing, IGF-1 was detected mainly in tenocytes. Both cytoplasmic and nuclear expressions were present, whereas the larger amounts of immunoexpression were localized in both epitenon and endotenon. A superior expression of IGF-1 was seen in PRP group compared with controls (p<0.0001) in both the epitenon and endotenon at each time point except at 4th week of healing where a superior expression of IGF-1 was shown in the endotenon of control group, compared to the PRP group (p<0.0001).
Conclusion:
PRP may improve tendon defect healing by overexpression of IGF-1.
Level Of Evidence:
Laboratory control animal study.
