Biological impact of adding albumin and silver nanoparticles to concentrated growth factors
摘要
Concentrated Growth Factor (CGF) is widely used in regenerative medicine and dentistry, but its rapid degradation limits long-term applications. Albumin-modified CGF (ALB-CGF) and silver nanoparticles (ALB-CGF-SNP) enhance stability and antimicrobial properties. This study evaluates growth factor release, degradation resistance, structural morphology and antibacterial efficacy of CGF, ALB-CGF and ALB-CGF-SNP.
MethodsBlood samples from 15 healthy volunteers were processed to obtain CGF, ALB-CGF and ALB-CGF-SNP. Growth factor release, including Platelet-Derived Growth Factor-AB (PDGF-AB), Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), Transforming Growth Factor Beta-1 (TGF-β1) and Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF), was quantified using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) at 1, 7, 14, 30 and 60 days of samples incubation at 37 °C. Degradation was assessed via a Bicinchoninic Acid (BCA) assay. Structural morphology was analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Antibacterial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus was evaluated using CFU counts. Statistical tests, including one-way ANOVA or Welch ANOVA with Tukey’s HSD or Dunnett T3 post hoc comparisons, were performed using GraphPad Prism version 10 (P < 0.05).
ResultsCGF exhibited a rapid release of growth factors within 7 days, peaking on Day 1 (TGF-β1: 15,398 pg/mL). By Day 14, ALB-CGF had significantly higher VEGF (448.4 vs. 296.4 pg/mL, P = 0.004) and TGF-β1 (5800 vs. 3519 pg/mL, P = 0.004) than CGF, while EGF (P = 0.397) and PDGF-AB (P = 0.368) showed no significant differences. ALB-CGF-SNP had the lowest initial release but maintained the highest concentrations at Day 30 (P < 0.001 for VEGF and EGF, P < 0.0001 for TGF-β1, not significant for PDGF-AB). Degradation analysis showed that CGF degraded rapidly, whereas ALB-CGF and ALB-CGF-SNP retained proteins beyond 60 days (P < 0.001). SEM revealed CGF’s dense fibrin matrix, ALB-CGF’s porous structure and ALB-CGF-SNP’s irregular network with denatured protein distribution. ALB-CGF-SNP showed the highest bacterial inhibition at 24 h (P < 0.0001), though CGF-based group differences were not statistically significant.
ConclusionALB-CGF-SNP exhibited sustained growth factor release, extended degradation resistance and enhanced antibacterial activity. While CGF provides immediate effects, ALB-CGF prolongs release and ALB-CGF-SNP supports long-term bioactivity, making the latter a promising option for scaffold stability and infection control.