title: Can Platelet rich plasma stimulate human ACL growth in culture? A preliminary experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) contains numerous growth factors; Platelet poor plasma (PPP) is plasma proteins without platelets, containing growth factors other than platelet derived. We planned to evaluate the effect of both autologous PRP & PPP on human ACL cell growth characteristics in culture conditions to see if one was better than the other.
  
  
  METHODS
  ACL remnants were collected from eleven patients during ACL reconstruction surgery; PPP and PRP were prepared from blood of these patients. Cells were isolated, identified and cultured and were then divided into six groups. Groups A-D had Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) added to them along with different concentrations of PRP and PPP. Groups E and F had 5% and 10% PRP respectively but lacked FBS. Cell viability was assayed by MTT and Annexin V assay, and DNA content was evaluated by propidium iodide staining and flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  analysis of cultured cells showed that addition of PRP (5 or 10%) increased the viability of ACL cells in 4 out of 11 and promoted cell proliferation in 8 of 11 donor samples; 10% PRP was more effective than 5% PRP. However, the difference in effectiveness of 10% PRP was not significantly better than 5% PRP. 5% PPP had no significant effect on cell viability, but it led to an increase in DNA content in 5 of 11. There was no statistically significant effect of either PRP or PPP in preventing cell death (depicted by apoptosis rate).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PRP may have an enhancing effect on ACL cell viability and promotion of cell proliferation but the ideal concentration of PRP for these positive effects needs to be determined before it could be used in clinical settings for enhancing primary repair of torn ACL. Also larger, more controlled and better studies are needed to confirm its clinical utility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Mandeep Singh
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Dhillon
authors.affiliation: Birat Hospital, BiratNagar, Nepal.
authors.forename: Saroj Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Karna
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Sarvdeep Singh
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Dhatt
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Prateek
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Behera
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Alka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhatia
keywords: ACL injury; Platelet rich plasma; cell culture study; platelet poor plasma