Gold-based blood serum treatment promotes wound closure of corneal epithelial cell defects in primary in vitro experiments

Abstract

BackgroundWound healing disorders characterised by impaired or delayed reepithelialisation are a serious medical problem. In the present study, we show that gold-based blood serum therapy is a suitable therapeutic approach and shows a supportive effect in wound closure of human corneal epithelial cells (HCE) in primary in vitro experiments. MethodsFor this purpose, blood from healthy individuals was incubated without (S.Ctrl) or with gold-microparticles (S.Therapy) for 24 h. Prior to human epithelial cell stimulation (HCE), the gold particles were removed and the serum was diluted in DMEM (10 % or 30 %). Both groups of serum were compared after injury. HCE were cultured and injured (corneal in vitro wound model) and then stimulated with S.Ctrl or S.Therapy. ResultsTreatment with serum from a gold-based serum therapy (S.Therapy) shows a supportive effect on wound healing in HCE cells in vitro. In addition, gold therapy supports the secretion of important cytokines normally associated with ocular surface wound healing (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and TGF-β) in HCE cells. ConclusionsTherapy with gold-based blood serum significantly promotes the secretion and expression of cytokines and growth factors in HCE cells in vitro.Further preclinical experiments are necessary to demonstrate the influence of this therapy on HCE cells for possible clinical application on the human ocular surface and to prove its function also in poorly healing corneal lesions.