In vitro evaluation of the capability of a silicone superabsorbent polymer (SAP) dressing to modulate pro-inflammatory cytokines

Background
Reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine concentration in a wound is important to allow the normal wound healing process to progress. Aims: In this study, the ability of a self-adhesive silicone superabsorbent polymer (silicone SAP) wound dressing to modulate proteinase when compared to six other silicone dressings was investigated.

Methods
To quantify proteinase modulation, dressings were cut to 1 × 1 cm into individual test wells, spiked with 5 ng/ml metalloproteinase (MMP), 10,000 pg/ml human neutrophil elastase (HNE) or 7,000 pg/ml human calprotectin (HCP) and incubated for 24 hours. Test dressings were removed and protein remaining in test wells was recovered and quantified by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Significantly lower levels of HNE and HCP, and no MMP was detected from test wells containing the self-adhesive silicone SAP dressing, demonstrating capability for modulating all target proteins to a greater extent when compared to the six silicone foam dressings.

Conclusion
The self-adhesive silicone SAP dressing tested in this study demonstrated greater protein modulation when compared to a panel of currently available alternate dressing types.

Christopher Ball
NAMSA, Daresbury, UK

Colby Taylor
NAMSA, Daresbury, UK

Breno Salgado
NAMSA, Daresbury, UK

Erzsébet Szabóné Révész
Department of Surgery, St Goerge’s Hospital, Székesfehérvár, Hungary

Clemens Heller
Paul Hartmann AG, Heidenheim, Germany