Effects of the breed, sex and age on cellular content and growth factor release from equine pure-platelet rich plasma and pure-platelet rich gel.
Authors: Giraldo Carlos E, López Catalina, Álvarez María E, Samudio Ismael J, Prades Marta, Carmona Jorge U
Journal: BMC veterinary research
Summary
# Editorial Summary Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) preparations are increasingly used in equine regenerative medicine, yet their biological potency varies considerably between individual horses, potentially limiting clinical predictability. Giraldo and colleagues evaluated how breed, sex and age influenced both cellular composition and growth factor release from pure-PRP and pure-PRG (gel) preparations in 40 horses—20 Argentinean Creole and 20 Colombian Creole breeds—measuring platelet and leukocyte concentrations alongside key growth factors (TGF-β1 and PDGF-BB) across activated and non-activated preparations. Their findings revealed significant inter-individual variation attributable to breed and age, with these factors substantially affecting both the platelet and growth factor yields obtainable from blood processing, meaning practitioners cannot assume consistent therapeutic potency across their equine patient population. These results have important implications for standardising PRP preparation protocols and dosing strategies: practitioners working with older horses or particular breeds may need to adjust blood volumes collected or processing parameters to achieve therapeutic thresholds, whilst the data support the case for individualised assessment rather than standardised blanket recommendations. Understanding these biological variables is essential for optimising outcomes when using platelet-based therapies in musculoskeletal and soft tissue injuries, where growth factor concentration directly influences regenerative capacity.
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Practical Takeaways
- •When using PRP therapeutically, account for breed differences in platelet yield and growth factor release—Creole horse breeds show different responses than other breeds studied
- •Patient age and sex should be documented when preparing PRP, as these factors affect the final product's cellular and growth factor composition
- •Consider using calcium gluconate activation for P-PRG if consistent growth factor release is needed, but verify this works for your specific patient population
Key Findings
- •P-PRP demonstrated significantly higher platelet and leukocyte concentrations compared to whole blood and platelet poor plasma
- •TGF-β1 and PDGF-BB growth factor concentrations varied significantly between P-PRP+NID, P-PRG, and control plasma preparations
- •Breed (Argentinean Creole vs Colombian Creole horses) significantly affected cellular content and growth factor release from blood products
- •Age and sex influenced the cellular composition and growth factor concentrations in equine pure-platelet rich plasma preparations