Delayed centrifugation weakens the in vitro biological properties of platelet-rich fibrin membranes

To investigate how delayed blood centrifugation affects the composition of the resultant platelet rich fibrin membrane (PRF, a concentrated growth factor preparation) and its biological effects towards gingival fibroblasts.

Blood samples were collected from 18 healthy individuals and centrifuged immediately (T-0), or after a 1–6-minute delay (T-1–6, respectively), to generate PRF. Each PRF membrane was weighed. T-0 and T-6 membranes were incubated for 48 h in cell culture medium at 37 °C to create PRF “releasates” (soluble factors released from the PRF). Human gingival fibroblasts were incubated for 48 h with or without the releasates, followed by RNA isolation and real-time polymerase chain reaction to measure expression of select genes associated with granulation tissue formation, angiogenesis and wound contraction. Additional T-0 and T-6 membranes were used for visualization of leucocyte nuclei and platelets by immunostaining.

Immediate centrifugation (T-0) resulted in the largest membranes, T-6 membranes being on average 29% smaller. Leucocytes and platelets were significantly more abundant in T-0 than in T-6 samples. Majority of the fibroblast genes studied were consistently either upregulated or downregulated by the T-0 PRF releasates. However, centrifugation after a 6-minute delay significantly weakened the fibroblast responses.

Delayed centrifugation resulted in smaller PRF membranes with fewer leucocytes and platelets and also significantly reduced on the expression of a set of healing-related gingival fibroblast genes.

The higher expression of wound healing-related genes in gingival fibroblasts by the immediately-centrifuged PRF membranes may increase their biological properties in clinical use.