title: Quantitation of cytokine levels in skin graft donor site wound fluid.
abstract: We quantified endogenous levels of multiple cytokines in skin graft donor site wounds in patients with small to moderate-sized burn injuries. Thirteen patients aged 11 months to 61 years with mean TBSA burn of 4 +/- 1 per cent underwent placement of occlusive wound dressings on partial skin thickness donor site wounds. Fluid was aspirated from beneath the dressing on postoperative day 1 and every subsequent 24 h until no further fluid could be obtained. Interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Epidermal growth factor (EGF), basic-fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) were measured by an enzyme immunoassay (EIA). We found substantial levels of EGF and TNF-alpha in the donor site wound fluid in all 13 patients; detectable levels of bFGF in five patients; and elevated levels of IL-1 in three patients. There were no detectable levels of these cytokines in normal human serum. In contrast, there were no measurable levels of PDGF in any patient's wound fluid; the mean level in serum was 1.5 ng/ml +/- 0.2 s.e.m. Studies of cytokines in the normal wound healing environment may help in the design of future therapies to augment wound healing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego Medical Center.
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Grayson
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Hansbrough
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Zapata-Sirvent
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Dore
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nicolson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002056:Burns / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007375:Interleukin-1; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor