A comparison of the wound healing process after the application of three dermal substitutes with or without basic fibroblast growth factor impregnation in diabetic mice.

Abstract

Pelnac Gplus^Ⓡ, Integra^Ⓡ, and Terudermis^Ⓡ are approved artificial dermis products in Japan. Previously, we proved that Pelnac Gplus^Ⓡ was able to sustain basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and accelerated wound healing by releasing impregnated bFGF. In this study, we impregnated Pelnac Gplus^Ⓡ, Integra^Ⓡ, and Terudermis^Ⓡ with bFGF and compared the binding activity and wound-healing process. We applied bFGF to each material and compared the bFGF concentrations in the surrounding area after 24-h incubation. For the in vivo study, dermal substitutes were impregnated with bFGF and implanted into full-thickness wounds of BKS.Cg-+Leprdb/+Leprdb/Jcl mice. Wounds were evaluated at days 7, 14, and 21 after implantation. The in vitro study showed that bFGF is strongly bound to Integra^Ⓡ, followed by Pelnac Gplus^Ⓡ and Terudermis^Ⓡ. The in vivo study showed that fibroblasts and capillaries had infiltrated into the Pelnac Gplus^Ⓡ but not the Integra^Ⓡ or Terudermis^Ⓡ. Furthermore, long epithelium and wide granulation tissue were formed in the Pelnac Gplus^Ⓡ with bFGF group. The Terudermis^Ⓡ with bFGF group had more capillaries than other groups, but only at the base of the wound. The combination of Pelnac Gplus^Ⓡ with bFGF may be a novel approach for treating full-thickness skin defects or chronic skin ulcers.