title: Clinical application of growth factors and cytokines in wound healing.
abstract: Wound healing is a complex and dynamic biological process that involves the coordinated efforts of multiple cell types and is executed and regulated by numerous growth factors and cytokines. There has been a drive in the past two decades to study the therapeutic effects of various growth factors in the clinical management of nonhealing wounds (e.g., pressure ulcers, chronic venous ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers). For this review, we conducted an online search of Medline/PubMed and critically analyzed the literature regarding the role of growth factors and cytokines in the management of these wounds. We focused on currently approved therapies, emerging therapies, and future research possibilities. In this review, we discuss four growth factors and cytokines currently being used on and off label for the healing of wounds. These include granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, platelet-derived growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and basic fibroblast growth factor. While the clinical results of using growth factors and cytokines are encouraging, many studies involved a small sample size and are disparate in measured endpoints. Therefore, further research is required to provide definitive evidence of efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Wound Healing and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Surgery, Winthrop University Hospital/Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Mineola, New York.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barrientos
authors.forename: Harold
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brem
authors.forename: Olivera
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Stojadinovic
authors.forename: Marjana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomic-Canic
mesh_terms: D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014647:Varicose Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor