Levels of growth factors in the PRP of people with diabetes

Levels of growth factors in the PRP of people with diabetes This study aimed to measure the concentrations of specific intrinsic growth factors in the Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) obtained from the blood samples drawn from 40 study participants. The participants consisted of 3 groups. Healthy diabetics and healthy age, gender matched (n=13) and a discreet group of 14 participants with a non-healing DFU . Ethical approval was obtained from ORECNI (10/NIRO2/30). A sample of 24ml of whole venous blood was drawn from each participant and prepared as per the manufacturer’s instructions to produce PRP. Growth factor specific Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs - Quantikine®, R&D systems) were used to determine the concentrations of growth factors PDGF- AB and PDGF -BB, TGF, and VEGF of the PRP of the study participants. A one-way ANOVA was used to determine whether there were significant differences between the levels of the different growth factors present in the samples of PRP. For significant interaction effects, post hoc analysis using Tukey’s multiple comparison test was employed. Results The mean levels of PDGF-BB, VEGF and TGF-β1 were higher in the groups of participants with diabetes and a foot ulcer than the healthy participants. When comparisons were made between Groups 1 and 2, and Groups 1 and 3 using Tukey’s Multiple Comparison Test there were some significant differences between some of the concentrations of growth factors. Comparison of levels of growth factors for the various Groups Tukey’s Multiple Comparison Test Tukey’s Multiple Comparison Test VEGF p value TGF-β 1 p value PDGF-BB p value PDGF – AB p value Gp 1 vs Gp 2 p>0.05 p>0.05 p>0.05 p>0.05 Gp 1 vs Gp 3 p>0.05 p>0.05 p>0.05 p>0.05 No significant differences were found between groups for the levels of any of the growth factors targeted. There was a trend for the levels of VEGF, TGF-β and PDGF- BB to be higher in the participants with diabetes than in either of the other groups. The levels of PDGF-AB were found to be higher in the healthy participants, than either of the groups with diabetes. This study is the first to investigate the levels of VEGF, TGF-β and PDGF- BB and PDGF-AB in the PRP of participants with diabetes and diabetes and a foot ulcer.