Effect of Liquid Blood Concentrates on Cell Proliferation and Cell Cycle-and Apoptosis-Related Gene Expressions in Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Cells - A Comparative In Vitro Study

Sep 22, 2026

Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) presents a major healthcare challenge with rising incidence, motivating the search for innovative therapies. This study investigates the liquid blood concentrate platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) on basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells, aiming to support adjunctive management of localized skin cancers. BCC and SCC cells were indirectly treated with PRF generated at high vs low relative centrifugation forces for 7 days and assessed for viability, proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis-related gene expression. PRF reduced viability and Ki-67 positivity, modulated CCND1, p21, p53, and activated caspase-8 and caspase-9, suggesting proliferation inhibition and apoptosis pathway engagement, supporting further investigation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

1. Introduction

Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) and rationale

Article Effect of Liquid Blood Concentrates on Cell Proliferation and Cell Cycle-and Apoptosis-Related Gene Expressions in Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Cells: A Comparative In Vitro Study Eva Dohle *,†, Lianna Zhu†, Robert Sader and Shahram Ghanaati Citation: Dohle, E.; Zhu, L.; Sader, R.; Ghanaati, S. Effect of Liquid Blood Concentrates on Cell Proliferation and Cell Cycle-and Apoptosis-Related Gene Expressions in Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Cells: A Comparative In Vitro Study. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25, 12983. [https://doi.org/10.3390/](https://doi.org/10.3390/)[ ](https://doi.org/10.3390/)ijms252312983 Academic Editor: Consolato M. Sergi Received: 4 November 2024 Revised: 27 November 2024 Accepted: 28 November 2024 Published: 3 December 2024 Copyright: © 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license ([https://](https://)[ ](https://)[creativecommons.org/licenses/by/](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[ ](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[4.0/](4.0/)) . FORM, Frankfurt Orofacial Regenerative Medicine, Department for Oral, Cranio-Maxillofacial and Facial Plastic Surgery, Medical Center of the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany; [lianna97@foxmail.com](lianna97@foxmail.com) (L.Z.); sader@em.uni-frankfurt.de (R.S.); [s.ghanaati@med.uni-frankfurt.de](s.ghanaati@med.uni-frankfurt.de) (S.G.) * Correspondence: dohle@med.uni-frankfurt.de; Tel.: +49-69-6301-3784 † These authors contributed equally to this work. Abstract: Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) presents a significant challenge to global healthcare due to its rising incidence, prompting the search for innovative treatments to overcome the limitations of current therapies. Our study aims to explore the potential effects of the liquid blood concentrate platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) on basal cell carcinoma cells (BCCs) and squamous cell carcinoma cells (SCCs) in order to obtain results that may lead to new possible adjunctive therapies for managing localized skin cancers, particularly NMSC. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) cells and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells were indirectly treated with PRF generated via different relative centrifugation forces, namely high and low RCF PRF, for 7 days. PRF-treated cells were comparatively analyzed for cell viability, proliferation and cell cycle-and apoptosis-related gene expression. Analysis of MTS assay results revealed a significant decrease in cell viability in both BCC and SCC cells following PRF treatment for 7 days. Ki-67 staining showed a decreased percentage of Ki-67-positive cells in both BCC and SCC cells after 2 days of treatment compared to the control group. The downregulation of CCND1 gene expression in both cell types at 2 days along with the upregulation of p21 and p53 gene expression in SCC cells demonstrated the effect of PRF in inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing cell cycle arrest, especially during the initial phases of treatment. Increased expression of caspase-8 and caspase-9 was observed, indicating the activation of both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways by PRF treatment. Although the exact immunomodulatory properties of PRF require further investigation, the results of our basic in vitro studies are promising and might provide a basis for future investigations of PRF as an adjunctive therapy for managing localized skin cancers, particularly NMSC. Keywords: nonmelanoma skin cancer; blood concentrates; cell proliferation; apoptosis; cell cycle 1. Introduction Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common malignancy among Caucasian populations, with its global incidence steadily rising due to factors such as population aging and increased exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation resulting from lifestyle changes [1] . This trend imposes a significant economic burden on national healthcare systems and presents a substan

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the study on PRF in nonmelanoma skin cancer cells?

To evaluate how platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) affects basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells, including cell viability, proliferation, cell cycle changes, and apoptosis-related gene expression.

How were BCC and SCC cells treated in the in vitro experiments?

BCC and SCC cells were indirectly treated with PRF generated using different relative centrifugation forces (high vs low RCF PRF) for 7 days, followed by comparative analyses of viability, proliferation, and gene expression.

Which molecular changes indicate that PRF can inhibit proliferation and affect apoptosis pathways?

PRF decreased cell viability and Ki-67 positivity, downregulated CCND1, and upregulated p21 and p53 in SCC cells. It also increased caspase-8 and caspase-9 expression, indicating activation of both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways.

Sep 22, 2026

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