Work

Effect of Reduced Centrifugation Time on Leukocyte, Platelet, and Growth Factor Levels in Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) Prepared Using Low-Speed Relative Centrifugal Force (RCF): An Ex Vivo Study

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), a second-generation autologous biomaterial, enhances periodontal regeneration through its fibrin matrix, which is enriched with leukocytes, platelets, and growth factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β). Centrifugation parameters critically influence the regenerative composition of PRF, with low-speed relative centrifugal force (RCF) protocols improving both cellular and molecular yields. However, the impact of centrifugation time remains underexplored. This study investigates whether reducing centrifugation time from 8 to 4 minutes at 44 g (600 rpm) optimizes PRF's regenerative profile for periodontal applications. METHODS: Peripheral blood from 10 healthy male volunteers (aged 20-30 years) reporting to a tertiary care center was processed into fluid PRF using two protocols: 8-minute and 4-minute centrifugation at 600 rpm. Leukocyte and platelet concentrations were quantified via flow cytometry, while VEGF and TGF-β levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at 1 and 24 hours post-clotting. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test assessed differences between protocols (p ≤ 0.05). RESULTS: Reducing centrifugation time to 4 minutes significantly increased leukocyte (median: 0.04-0.07 ×10³ cells/µL, p = 0.008) and platelet (median: 578-691 ×10³ cells/µL, p = 0.005) concentrations. VEGF levels showed a near-significant rise (median: 4.19-6.10 pg/mL, p = 0.051), while TGF-β exhibited a non-significant upward trend (median: 35.57-36.43 ng/mL, p = 0.594). These enhancements suggest improved cellular retention and growth factor release. CONCLUSION: A 4-minute centrifugation at 600 rpm suggests improved cellular retention and trends toward higher growth factor concentrations by enhancing leukocyte, platelet, and VEGF concentrations, with a modest TGF-β increase. This protocol offers potential biochemical enhancement with improved chair-side efficiency, warranting further clinical validation.

Source: Cureus

DOI: 10.7759/cureus.100846

Authors: Shankar S Menon, Biju Balakrishnan, Arun Kurumathur Vasudevan, Maya Rajan Peter, Reshma Suresh

Institution: Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

Language: English

Topic: Periodontal Regeneration and Treatments

Subfield: Urology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

OpenAlex ID: W7118214851