OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of topically applied autologous plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) as a treatment for persistent epithelial defects (PEDs) of the cornea. METHODS A series of prospective noncomparative cases. PARTICIPANTS Twenty eyes from 18 patients with PED with various underlying etiopathologies: neurogenic, iatrogenic, associated with burning or secondary to severe d...

BACKGROUND The platelet gel is made by embedding concentrate platelets within a semisolid (gel) network of polymerized fibrin. It is believed that this blood component will be used more and more in the treatment of several clinical conditions and as an adjunctive material in tissue engineering. Several systems are available to produce platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for topical therapy. Recently, a ...

BACKGROUND Platelet concentrates contain soluble mediators derived from both platelets and contaminating leukocytes. During platelet transfusion these mediators are transferred, and transfusion-induced modulation of the cytokine network may then occur, possibly contributing to transfusion reactions, immunomodulation, or affecting residual leukemic cells. In this prospective observational study,...

A 70-year-old man developed severe periorbital edema secondary to imatinib mesylate (Gleevec; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp, East Hanover, NJ). Imatinib mesylate is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor with a high degree of specificity for the BCRABL, KIT, and platelet-derived growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases. It is thought that inhibition of platelet-derived growth factor receptor results in dis...

Human platelet lysates contained potent mitogenic activities for MCF-7 human breast-cancer cells in serum-freedefined media. Because these activities were not replaced by known platelet mitogens. such as platelet-derived growth factor or transforming growth factor , we sought to identify the breast cancer cell mitogens by purification and N amino-acid sequencing. Acetic acid extracts of outdate...

Coagulation abnormalities, including an increased platelet turnover, are frequently found in patients with cancer. Because platelets secrete angiogenic factors on activation, this study tested the hypothesis that platelets contribute to angiogenesis. Stimulation with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, 25 ng/mL) of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) promoted adhesion of nonac...

Pazopanib is a multikinase inhibitor which potently inhibits the activity of major receptor tyrosine kinases, including vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3, platelet-derived growth factor receptor-a, platelet-derived growth factor receptor-a, and c-Kit. Approved by the Food and Drug Administr...

We previously demonstrated that src family tyrosine kinases associate with activated platelet-derived growth factor receptors. We have now investigated the requirement for tyrosine phosphorylation sites in the human platelet-derived growth factor receptor for this binding. Tyrosine 857, but not tyrosine 751, is required for efficient association. Furthermore, even though src family tyrosine kin...

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-K) becomes activated when quiescent cells are stimulated with a variety of growth factors. We have microinjected antibodies specific for the p110 alpha subunit of the PI 3-K into quiescent fibroblasts and tested their effect on the ability of growth factors to stimulate exit from quiescence and entry into S phase. The antibodies inhibited platelet-derived...