Hyperbaric oxygen potentiates platelet-rich plasma composition and accelerates bone healing.

Area of Science:

• Regenerative Medicine
• Orthopedics
• Biomaterials

Background:

• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is utilized for bone healing but its enhancement is underexplored.
• Hyperbaric oxygen (HBOP) preconditioning may potentiate PRP's biological activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if HBOP-preconditioned PRP (hPRP) enhances biological activity and bone healing.
• To evaluate hPRP's efficacy in a rat femur fracture model.

Main Methods:

• PRP was derived from rats exposed to HBOP (hPRP) or normobaric air (nPRP).
• Femur fractures in rats were treated with hPRP or nPRP.
• Bone healing was assessed via X-ray, histology, and immunofluorescence, analyzing growth factors, OPG, RANKL, and cell presence.
• In vitro studies assessed hPRP/nPRP effects on preosteoblast migration and proliferation.

Main Results:

• hPRP exhibited significantly higher concentrations of multiple growth factors compared to nPRP.
• In vitro, hPRP promoted greater preosteoblast migration and proliferation.
• In vivo, hPRP treatment led to enhanced bone healing, increased OPG levels, and a higher OPG/RANKL ratio.

Conclusions:

• HBOP preconditioning enhances PRP's biological activity and accelerates femur fracture healing in rats.
• hPRP demonstrates significant regenerative potential for bone fracture therapy.