Poloxamer 188 washing of lipoaspirate improves fat graft survival: A comparative study in nude mice

Abstract

BackgroundAutologous fat transplantation is limited by the uncertainty of grafting retention, impeding its application. Among current strategies of processing lipoaspirates, high-density fat (HDF) due to its enrichment of stem cells and washing before cotton concentration for the simplicity of operation are recommended. Poloxamer 188 (P188) washing has been shown to repair the membranes of damaged cells. This study aimed to investigate the effect of P188-washing on fat graft survival and to identify the best processing technique. MethodsLipoaspirates were prepared by centrifuging to obtain HDF, and by washing with saline or P188 followed by cotton concentration. Tissue integrity, adipocytic activity and viability of SVF in samples from three groups were assessed. Samples were sequenced in vitro by high-throughput RNA-Seq, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were validated through qPCR and WB. After transplantation under the dorsum of nude mice for 8 weeks, the grafts were extracted and examined in residual volume, histologic characteristics and vascularization. ResultsHDF and P188 groups showed higher survival rate of SVF, more Ki67-positive cells, intact tissue structure, and less fibrosis. There were no significant differences in the density of SVF and residual volume of grafts. HDF showed significantly improved vascularization during 8 weeks. Through RNA-Seq and bioinformatic analysis, there were noteworthy changes of several related genes after transplantation. ConclusionsP188 treatment can prevent cell from apoptosis and preserve tissue viability, thereby improving graft quality. High-density fat contains large amount of SVF and can be regarded as an excellent grafting material.