Effect of Health Status and Heat-Induced Inactivation on the Proteomic Profile of Plasma Rich in Growth Factors Obtained from Donors with Chronic Inflammatory Skin Conditions

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and lichen sclerosus are among the most challenging conditions treated by dermatologists worldwide, with potentially significant physical, social and psychological impacts. Emerging evidence suggests that autologous-platelet-rich plasma could be used to manage skin inflammation. However, the presence of soluble autoimmune components could hinder their therapeutic potential. The aim of this study was to analyze the proteomic profile of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGFs) obtained from donors with inflammatory skin conditions to evaluate the impact of skin health status on the composition and bioactivity of PRGF-based treatments. Venous blood from healthy volunteers and patients with psoriasis, lichen sclerosus and atopic dermatitis was processed to produce PRGF supernatant. Half of the samples were subjected to an additional thermal treatment (56 °C) to inactivate inflammatory and immune molecules. Proteomic analysis was performed to assess the protein profile of PRGFs from healthy and non-healthy patients and the effect of Immunosafe treatment. Differential abundance patterns of several proteins related to key biological processes have been identified, including complement activation, blood coagulation, and glycolysis- and gluconeogenesis-related genes. These results also demonstrate that the thermal treatment (Immunosafe) contributes to the inactivation of the complement system and, as a consequence, reduction in the immunogenic potential of PRGF products.