title: Transplantation of stromal vascular fraction as an alternative for accelerating tissue expansion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tissue expansion has been a good option for repair and reconstruction of large soft-tissue defects. However, the long expansion process, as well as accompanied complications, still remains the major problem of this technique. In this study, a new cell therapy using the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) was applied on expanded tissue to find whether it could accelerate tissue expansion. Its role in skin regeneration during tissue expansion was also explored.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wistar rats were divided into two groups with eight rats in each group and received transplantation of SVF and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), respectively. Four weeks after surgery, inflation volume was measured to evaluate the effect of SVF on tissue expansion. Angiogenesis and cell proliferation were examined to observe the histological changes. At last, the gene expression of epidermic growth factor (EGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was detected to observe the paracrine effect of SVF to explain the changes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The inflation volume in the SVF group (55.5 ± 4.92 ml) was larger than in the control group (34.5 ± 2.95 ml), P < 0.05. Enhanced angiogenesis and cell proliferation were observed in the tissue treated by transplantation of SVF. SVF-conditioned expanded tissue owned higher expression of EGF, VEGF and bFGF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that transplantation of SVF could shorten tissue expansion process through enhancing skin regeneration, which may be improved by growth factors such as EGF, VEGF and bFGF secreted by engrafted SVF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai 200011, PR China.
authors.forename: Lingling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zijing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Yiai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Qingfeng
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology*; D000818:Animals; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D015870:Gene Expression; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017695:Soft Tissue Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000637:transplantation; D015626:Tissue Expansion / Q000379:methods*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor