Effects of Growth Factors and L-Arginine on Ischemic Skin Flaps in Rats |
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| Authors: | CHARLES M WALLS DVM CLARE R GREGORY DVM Diplomate ACVS L STEVEN BECK DVM JOHN P COOKE MD PhD STEPHEN M GRIFFEY DVM PHIL H KASS DVM PhD |
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| Institution: | Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, the Department of Pathology, the Department of Reproduction and Population Medicine, the Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California, School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA;Department of Endocrinology, Genentec Inc, So. San Francisco, CA;Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA. |
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| Abstract: | This study determined the effect of the polypeptide growth factors transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), and growth hormone (GH) alone and in combination with dietary L-Arginine HCL (ARG) on skin flap survival in rats. Caudally based dorsal skin flaps were created in 110 Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were randomly assigned into three treatment groups, based on drinking water supplementation. Group 1 (n = 50) received ARG in their drinking water, group 2 (n = 50) received tap water alone, and group 3 (n = 10) received N-omega-nitro-L-arginine (L-NA) and hydralazine. Groups 1 and 2 were divided into subgroups of 10 rats each based on treatment with either: TGF-β, IGF-I, GH, or IGF-I + GH. All subgroups that received GH had significantly greater ( P <.0001) median body weight gains when compared with subgroups not receiving GH. L-arginine HCL when added to IGF-I negated the positive effects of IGF-I on both flap survival and weight gain. Although the rats in all subgroups from groups 1 and 2 had an increase in mean percent skin flap survival when compared with the water alone subgroup, only rats receiving IGF-I, or the combination of ARG with either TGF-β or GH, had statistically significant enhanced skin flap survival. Rats in group 3 did not show an increase in skin flap survival when compared with the control subgroup. |
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