Valorization of platelets with no therapeutic value with Pulsed Electric Fields

Platelets are blood components with high biomedical potential due to their physiological role in wound healing and their rich growth factor content. This paper describes proof of concept experiments aimed to produce a new blood derived product by applying Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF) in platelet concentrates with no therapeutic value for transfusion medicine. A human platelet concentrate suspension was subjected to a PEF treatment of 1 pulse, 5 kV/cm, with 2 μs. Release of Platelet Derived Growth Factor (PDGF) from the electroporated platelets was measured by ELISA. Furthermore, the biological activity of the obtained blood derived product was characterized. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) were cultured in the presence of the proteins released from the platelets after PEF application and evaluated for their expansion potential.Results show that platelets concentrates submitted to a single PEF treatment can release PDGF to the supernatant. Protein release from the single and transient PEF cycle was confirmed by the expansion of hMSC cultured with a medium supplemented with platelet releasate obtained from electroporated platelets. These results support the valorization of platelet concentrates with no transfusion value that would otherwise be discarded. Applying PEF might allow the development of alternative releasate for different biomedical applications, namely stem cells culture.