Jennifer L Schiefer1, Manuel Held, Paul C Fuchs, Erhan Demir, Frank Plöger, Hans-Eberhard Schaller, Afshin Rahmanian-Schwarz. 1. Jennifer L. Schiefer, MD, is Chief Resident, Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand and Burn Surgery, Hospital Cologne Merheim, University of Witten-Herdecke, Germany. Manuel Held, MD, is a Resident, Clinic for Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand and Burn Surgery, BG Trauma Center, University of Tuebingen, Germany. Paul C Fuchs, MD, is Director, Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand and Burn Surgery, Hospital Cologne Merheim, University of Witten-Herdecke, Germany. Erhan Demir, MD, is Chief Resident, Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand and Burn Surgery, Hospital Cologne Merheim, University of Witten-Herdecke, Germany. Frank Plöger, PhD, CPM, is Director of Research and Development, Biopharm GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany. Hans-Eberhard Schaller, MD, is Director, Clinic for Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand and Burn Surgery, BG Trauma Center, University of Tuebingen, Germany. Afshin Rahmanian-Schwarz, MD, is Director, Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Aesthetic, and Hand Surgery, Hospital Traunstein, Germany.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: A fast and stable wound closure is important, especially for extended and unstable wounds found after burn injuries. Growth can regulate a variety of cellular processes, including those involved in wound healing. Growth differentiation factor 5 (GDF-5) can accelerate fibroblast cell migration, cell proliferation, and collagen synthesis, which are essential for wound healing. Nevertheless, no standardized evaluation of the effect of GDF-5 on the healing of full-thickness wounds has been published to date. METHODS: Five full-thickness skin defects were created on the backs of 6 minipigs. Three wounds were treated with GDF-5 in different concentrations with the help of a gelatin-collagen carrier, and 2 wounds served as control group. The first was treated with the gelatin carrier and an Opsite film (Smith & Nephew, Fort Worth, Texas), and the other was treated solely with an Opsite film that was placed above all wounds and renewed every second day. RESULTS: Growth differentiation factor 5 accelerates wound closure (10.91 [SD, 0.99] days) compared with treatment with the carrier alone (11.3 [SD, 1.49] days) and control wounds (13.3 [SD, 0.94] days). Epidermal cell count of wounds treated with GDF-5 revealed a higher number of cells compared with the control group. In addition, mean epidermal thickness was significantly increased in GDF-5-treated wounds compared with the control wounds. CONCLUSIONS: Because of its ability to improve skin quality, GDF-5 should be considered when developing composite biomaterials for wound healing.
BACKGROUND: A fast and stable wound closure is important, especially for extended and unstable wounds found after burn injuries. Growth can regulate a variety of cellular processes, including those involved in wound healing. Growth differentiation factor 5 (GDF-5) can accelerate fibroblast cell migration, cell proliferation, and collagen synthesis, which are essential for wound healing. Nevertheless, no standardized evaluation of the effect of GDF-5 on the healing of full-thickness wounds has been published to date. METHODS: Five full-thickness skin defects were created on the backs of 6 minipigs. Three wounds were treated with GDF-5 in different concentrations with the help of a gelatin-collagen carrier, and 2 wounds served as control group. The first was treated with the gelatin carrier and an Opsite film (Smith & Nephew, Fort Worth, Texas), and the other was treated solely with an Opsite film that was placed above all wounds and renewed every second day. RESULTS:Growth differentiation factor 5 accelerates wound closure (10.91 [SD, 0.99] days) compared with treatment with the carrier alone (11.3 [SD, 1.49] days) and control wounds (13.3 [SD, 0.94] days). Epidermal cell count of wounds treated with GDF-5 revealed a higher number of cells compared with the control group. In addition, mean epidermal thickness was significantly increased in GDF-5-treated wounds compared with the control wounds. CONCLUSIONS: Because of its ability to improve skin quality, GDF-5 should be considered when developing composite biomaterials for wound healing.