Abstract
Purpose: Human lipoaspirate cells are relatively easy to obtain in large quantities without cell culture. The aim of this in vitro pilot study was to determine the effect of cell therapy using uncultured lipoaspirate cells on cell proliferation and collagen synthesis of diabetic fibroblasts, which are the major contributing factors in wound healing. Methods: In order to get diabetic fibroblasts, dermis tissues were obtained from foot skin of diabetic patients who underwent debridements or toe amputations(n = 4). In order to isolate lipoaspirate cells, the same diabetic patients' abdominal adipose tissues were obtained by liposuction. The diabetic fibroblasts were co - cultured with or without autogenous lipoaspirate cells using porous culture plate insert. Initial numbers of the lipoaspirate cells and diabetic fibroblasts seeded were 15,000 cells/well, respectively. For cell proliferation assay, two treatment groups were included. In group I, diabetic fibroblasts were cultured with the insert having no cells, which serves as a control. In group II, the lipoaspirate cells were added in the culture plate insert. For collagen synthesis assay, one additional group(group III), in which diabetic fibroblasts were not seeded in the well and only lipoaspirate cells inside the insert were incubated without diabetic fibroblasts, was included for a reference. Results: One hundred to one hundred sixty thousand lipoaspirate cells were isolated per ml of aspirated adipose tissue. After 3 - day incubation, the mean cell numbers in group I and II were 17,294/well and 22,163/well. The mean collagen level in group I, II, and III were 29, 41, and 2 ng/ml, respectively. These results imply that both cell proliferation and collagen synthesis in the lipoaspirate cell treatment group were 28 and 44 percents higher than in the control group, respectively(p < 0.05). Conclusion: Uncultured lipoaspirate cell autografts may stimulate the wound healing activity of diabetic fibroblasts.
