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Author Spotlight: Exploring the Potential of Fat-Derived Stromal Vascular Fraction for Wound Healing
Published on: November 17, 2023
Dual Network Hydrogels Based on PRP and SA Promote the Retention Rate and Vascularization of Transplanted Fat
Huichen Li1,2,3, Han Peng1,2, Jiezhang Tang2,4
1Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.
Background:
Autologous adipose tissue often experiences ischemia and hypoxia after transplantation, leading to low retention rates and unstable operative impacts due to necrotic absorption. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) can enhance fat regeneration and increase the fat retention rate after transplantation. However, the quick release of growth factors (GFs) in PRP decreases therapeutic efficiency. This study aimed to achieve a slow release of PRP to promote fat retention.
Methods:
We prepared a dual-network hydrogel (DN gel) based on FDA-approved PRP and sodium alginate (SA) through a simple "one-step" activation process. In vivo study, adipose tissue with saline (control group), SA gel (SA gel group), PRP gel (PRP gel group), and DN gel (DN gel group) was injected subcutaneously into the dorsum of nude mice. At 4 and 12 weeks after injection, tissues were assessed for volume and weight. Hematoxylin and eosin staining (HE) and immunofluorescence staining were performed for histological assessment.
Results:
DN gel exhibits long-lasting growth factor effects, surpassing conventional clinical PRP gel regarding vascularization potential. In fat transplantation experiments, DN gel demonstrated improved vascularization of transplanted fat and increased retention rates, showing promise for clinical applications.
Conclusions:
DN gel-assisted lipofilling can significantly improve the retention rate and quality of transplanted fat. DN gel-assisted lipofilling, which is considered convenient, is a promising technique to improve neovascularization and fat survival.
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