Effects of cytokines in burn blister fluids on fibroblast proliferation and their inhibition with the use of neutralizing antibodies.

Recent studies have shown that tissue exudates, such as burn blister fluid and donor site wound fluid, have promotive effects on wound healing. In the present study, results obtained with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays showed that at least three cytokines, transforming growth factor-beta1, transforming growth factor-alpha, and interleukin-6, exist at high concentrations in burn blister fluids. It was also found that these exudates were able to greatly enhance the rate of human fibroblast proliferation. However, neutralizing antibodies to transforming growth factor-beta1, transforming growth factor-alpha, interleukin-6, and platelet-derived growth factor failed to prevent this proliferative effect. Ultrafiltration of the exudates showed these cytokines to be in the high molecular weight fractions (30 to 300 kDa and >300 kDa) and that these fractions retained mitogenic activity toward fibroblasts. Therefore it was postulated that the cytokines were bound to high molecular weight substances such as serum proteins in these exudates and could escape neutralization by antibodies directed against them.