Striae Distensae: In Vitro Study and Assessment of Combined Treatment With Sodium Ascorbate and Platelet-Rich Plasma on Fibroblasts

Abstract

Introduction: Striae distensae (SD) appear clinically as parallel striae, lying perpendicular to the tension lines of the skin. SD evolve into two clinical phases, an initial inflammatory phase in which they are called "striae rubrae" (SR) and a chronic phase in which they are called striae albae (SA). Fibroblasts seem to play a key role in the pathogenesis of stretch marks. This study was aimed at describing and analyzing stretch marks-derived fibroblasts (SMF), the differences between SR- and SA-derived fibroblasts (SRF, SAF), testing two treatments in vitro (sodium ascorbate and PrP) on SAF.

Material and methods: To characterize the SMF, the expression of alpha smooth muscle actin (alpha SMA) was investigated. Type I collagen expression was measured in SAF, before and after adding different PrP concentrations and sodium ascorbate in the culture medium. Results were processed through statistical analysis models using the Student's t-test.

Results: A significant increase in alpha SMA (P <0.001) was observed in SRF. SAF treated with PrP and sodium ascorbate showed a resumption of their metabolic activity by an increase in collagen type I production and cell proliferation. After 24 h of incubation with PrP 1% and PrP 5% + sodium ascorbate, cell viability was increased by 140% and 151% and by 156 and 178% after 48 h, respectively, compared to the control.

Conclusion: Our study shows that a biologically mediated improvement in SMF metabolic activity is possible. Our promising results require further trials to be able to confirm the reproducibility of this combined treatment, particularly in vivo.

No level assigned: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each submission to which Evidence-Based Medicine rankings are applicable.

Keywords: Ascorbic acid; Fibroblast; Platelet-rich plasma; Stretch marks; Striae distensae.