Influence of dosage and timing of application of platelet-derived growth factor on early healing of the rat medial collateral ligament.
In previous studies, platelet-derived growth factor has demonstrated beneficial in vivo effects on wound healing. We report the results of two studies of platelet-derived growth factor in the rat medial collateral ligament injury model. Experimental injury sites were implanted with platelet-derived growth factor, whereas contralateral controls received only collagen. Twelve days postoperatively, the femur-medial collateral ligament-tibia complex was tested mechanically. Our first study found a marked drop in the effectiveness of platelet-derived growth factor when it was administered more than 24 hours after injury. Dose-response testing showed maximum increases in strength (90%) with 5.0 micrograms of platelet-derived growth factor, but the 1.0 microgram group showed similar strength increases, indicating a probable plateau effect in the response. These results indicate that platelet-derived growth factor has promise for healing ligaments but that it must be administered in appropriate doses soon after injury.
Department of Surgery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA.
M L
ML
Batten
J C
JC
Hansen
L E
LE
Dahners
D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D017888:Medial Collateral Ligament, Knee / Q000293:injuries* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012421:Rupture / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor