Characterization of Leukocyte- and Platelet-Rich Plasma Derived from Female Collage Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Cohort Study Focusing on Growth Factor, Inflammatory Cytokines, and Anti-Inflammatory Cytokine Levels

Harmony in Healing: Investigating Platelet-Rich Plasma Activation during Acetylsalicylic Acid Treatment

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy holds promise for treating various clinical conditions. The activation process is crucial in releasing growth factors and cytokines from platelets, enhancing the therapeutic properties of PRP. Standard activation methods involve autologous thrombin or collagen, with variations in efficacy and growth factor release. This study explores the impact of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), a commonly used antiplatelet drug, on PRP activation. The results indicate that non-activated PRP extracted from the whole blood of ASA-treated patients exhibits increased inflammatory cytokine concentrations, notably TNFa. After activation with autologous thrombin/CaCl2 or collagen IV, the measured fluorescence intensities suggest varying release patterns between treated and non-treated groups. Understanding the influence of ASA on platelet activation holds implications for personalized medicine and optimizing outcomes for individual patients undergoing PRP therapy. This research sheds light on the potential challenges associated with using antiplatelet drugs, emphasizing the need for careful consideration in tailoring PRP-based regenerative therapies.

Exosomes Exposed: Overview Systematic Review on Evidence Versus Expectation in Aesthetic and Regenerative Medicine

INTRODUCTION

Exosomes, diminutive extracellular vesicles, are integral to intercellular communication, harbouring potential for applications in regenerative medicine and aesthetic interventions. The field, however, grapples with the complexities of harmonising exosome characterisation protocols and safeguarding therapeutic integrity.

METHODOLOGY

In this scholarly overview, systematic adherence to the Cochrane Collaboration and Preferred Reporting Items for Overviews of Reviews guidelines was observed, scrutinising the congruence of exosome-related therapies with the Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles standards delineated by the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles, alongside criteria set forth by the International Society for Cell Therapy and the International Society for Stem Cell Research. A meticulous search strategy spanning databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Cochrane database was employed to encapsulate studies pertinent to the isolation, characterisation, and functional assessment of exosomes.

RESULTS

The initial search yielded 225 articles, of which 17 systematic reviews were selected based on predefined criteria, encompassing 556 primary studies. Notwithstanding the acknowledged therapeutic promise of exosome modalities, the synthesis illuminated a prevalent deficiency in adherence to established reporting and experimental benchmarks, notably in exosome source characterisation and bioactive constituent delineation. A critical appraisal employing the AMSTAR-2 tool underscored a pervasive shortfall in methodological rigour.

CONCLUSION

This review accentuates the imperative for stringent methodological standardisation within exosome research to fortify the validity and reproducibility of empirical findings. Amidst the burgeoning therapeutic optimism, the discipline must rectify methodological disparities and comply with regulatory mandates, ensuring the ethically sound and scientifically robust advancement of exosome-based therapeutic modalities.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article.  For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Elevated IL-1β and Comparable IL-1 Receptor Antagonist Levels Are Characteristic Features of L-PRP in Female College Athletes Compared to Male Professional Soccer Players

Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy has been becoming popular for the treatment of musculotendinous injuries among athletes. However, for individual and practical variations, clinical success is hardly predictable. To overcome this difficulty, we have been exploring possible criterion candidates for monitoring its clinical effectiveness. In this study, we focused on sex-based differences in young elite athletes and compared the biochemical compositions of their PRP. Leukocyte-rich PRP (L-PRP) was manually prepared from blood samples collected from male professional soccer players (mPSPs) (n = 25) and female college athletes (fCAs) (n = 36). Platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), transforming-growth factor-β1 (TGFβ1), platelet factor-4 (PF4), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) were quantified using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The levels of PDGF-BB, TGFβ1, and PF4 in L-PRP were significantly higher in mPSPs than in fCAs. Conversely, IL-1β and IL-1RA were detected at significantly and slightly higher levels, respectively, in fCAs than in mPSPs. Our findings suggest that, even though L-PRP from fCAs may have lower potential to induce cell growth and differentiation than that of mPSPs, due to the latter's higher capacity to control inflammation, it does not necessarily imply that PRP treatment in fCAs is less effective. Thus, these cytokine levels should be checked before PRP therapy.