OBJECTIVE Influence of irradiation and phenytoin sodium on modulatory activities of wound fluid on proliferation of fibroblasts and collagen synthesis was studied. METHODS The male Wistar rats were used in this study. The rats were divided into irradiated and non-irradiated groups, and in each of them it was subdivided into phenytoin group and control. A 7 cm long incisional wound was made on the back of each rat, in which a polyvinyl alcohol sponge (PVAS) with a size of 1.0 cm x 0.4 cm was implanted into the wound and the wound was sutured up. The PVAS was prepared by rinsing in running water over night and then was boiled for 30 minutes. Before implantation, the sponge was immersed in phenytoin sodium solution (10 mg/l ml) or normal saline (as control). From each wound the wound fluid and fibroblasts were collected. The methods of incorporation of 3H were adopted to assess the proliferation of fibroblasts and synthesis of collagen. RESULTS It was shown that proliferation of fibroblasts and collagen synthesis were stimulated by wound fluid remarkably on 5 to 8 days after wounding, and that 6 Gy to total-body irradiation wound decrease this effect. It was also noted that topical phenytoin sodium increased the modulatory activity of wound fluid irrespective of being irradiated or not. CONCLUSION It could be drawn that, after total-body irradiation, stimulation of hyperplasia of fibroblasts and collagen synthesis by wound fluid was markedly lowered indicating the total-body irradiation resulted in changes of local conditions of the wound which was unbenefitted to repair of tissue cells, while phenytoin sodium could enhance the stimulating action of wound fluid on proliferation of fibroblasts and synthesis of collagen which was beneficial to wound healing.
Abstract To study the regulation of growth and proliferation of tissue-repair cell from wound microenvironment, the effects of wound fluid (WF) on the growth and proliferation of wound fibroblast were studied in vitro. Thirty rats were divided into 6 groups. On the back of every rat, an incision of 0.5~1.0cm was performed a subcutaneous sac was made by blunt dissection. A piece of sponge was put in, and the wound was sutured. After 1,3,7,9,11,15 days, one group of the rats were sacrificed respectively, and WF was collected from the sponge. Two kinds of medium were made with each WF: 1640+1%FCS+10%WF and1640+10%FCS+10%WF. After 48 hours incubation with newly prepared wound fibroblasts, the growth of the cells was observed. It was shown that (1) Under 1%FCS, WFfrom1,3,7 days stimulated cell proliferation, and WF from 9,11,15 days caused cell death. (2) Under 10%FCS, WF from 9,11,15 days inhibited cell growth. It was suggested that the wound microenvironment stimulated the fibroblasts to proliferate for one week after injury, and beyond that further growth seemed to be arrested, and that there might be some growth inhibitory factors present in the microenvironmentduring the late stage of wound healing.