Quantification of growth factors in different platelet concentrates

Concentrated growth factor (CGF), a new generation of platelet concentrate product, appears to have more abundant growth factors because of its special centrifugation process. However, there are few studies supporting this. This study was designed to evaluate the contents of major growth factors in CGF and compare them with those found in PRP (platelet-rich plasma) and PRF (platelet-rich fibrin). PRP, PRF, and CGF were obtained from the same samples of peripheral blood. Concentrations of five representative growth factors in platelets were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA): platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), transforming growth factor β-1 (TGF-β1), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). The results showed that the bFGF levels in CGF and PRF were significantly higher than that in activated PRP. For other growth factors, such as PDGF-BB, TGF-β1, IGF-1, and VEGF, the levels did not differ significantly among activated PRP, PRF, and CGF. Our findings extended the currently available data on the release and measurement of growth factors in CGF and other platelet gels. In future studies, we need more data to find the proper therapeutic doses for platelet concentrates suitable for different clinical applications.