A Comparative Evaluation of Platelet-derived Growth Factor in a-PRF and a-PRF plus, with and without Low-level Laser Therapy – An Ex vivo Pilot Study

Background: The application of platelet concentrates has gained significant attention in regenerative medicine and dentistry, particularly in periodontal regenerative techniques. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) are platelet concentrates that facilitate the repair and regeneration of various tissues, attributed to their rich content of growth factors. Objectives: This current research aims at comparing the expression of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) from advanced platelet-rich fibrin (A-PRF) and advanced platelet-rich fibrin plus (A-PRF+), with and without application of low-level laser therapy (LLLT). Methods: Twenty systemically healthy subjects were included in this research. A venipuncture procedure was performed to obtain 15 millilitres of blood, which was collected from the antecubital fossa of each participant. After collection, blood was divided into two equal aliquots of 7.5 mL each. The first 7.5 mL aliquot was subjected to centrifugation for 14 minutes at 1,300 revolutions per minute (rpm), generating a relative centrifugal force of 145 g, to obtain A-PRF. The second 7.5 mL aliquot underwent centrifugation for 8 minutes at 1,300 rpm (145 g) to produce A-PRF+. Following the preparation of A-PRF and A-PRF+, each sample was divided into two equal halves. One half of the A-PRF and A-PRF+ samples was subjected to LLLT, while the other half did not receive any light treatment. After 14 days, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to quantify the expression of PDGF-BB in the samples. Results: The highest PDGF-BB levels were observed in A-PRF+ samples exposed to light (1925.09 pg/µl), followed by A-PRF with light (1905.15 pg/µl). Conclusion: The study demonstrated the expression of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-BB) from both A-PRF and A-PRF+ without low-level laser therapy, and a noticeable increase in production with LLLT.