Material-dependent effects of injectable platelet rich-fibrin on growth factor release, inflammation, and osteoclast activity: an in vitro study

Background: Injectable platelet-rich fibrin (i-PRF) is often used in maxillofacial surgery in combination with commercially available materials, but until now no study has compared biological and mechanical interactions between i-PRF and different composition biomaterial scaffolds. This study investigated how biomaterials – Collacone® (Biotiss), Bio-Oss® Collagen (90% Geistlich Bio-Oss®/10% porcine collagen, Geistlich), and CeraForm® (65% hydroxyapatite/35% β-tricalcium phosphate, Teknimed) – interact with i-PRF and influence material degradation, growth factor release, osteoblastogenesis, and osteoclastogenesis. Methods: Blood from three healthy donors was centrifuged at 700 rpm for 5 min to prepare i-PRF. Materials were impregnated with i-PRF and allowed to coagulate for 30 min. Surface properties were examined by scanning electron microscopy, and material degradation was monitored for 50 days. Growth factor release (IL-6, IL-8, EGF, PDGF, TGF-β1) was quantified by ELISA over 14 days. Osteoblastogenesis was evaluated using CellTiter-Blue®, and osteoclastogenesis was assessed through resorption assays on simulated body fluid/collagen type I-coated plates via image analysis and qPCR for differentiation markers. Data was analysed using ANOVA. Results: i-PRF delays the degradation of collagen-containing biomaterials. Impregnation of studied biomaterials with i-PRF only reduced growth factor release during the first 6 h. TGF-β1 release increased significantly after platelet activation by foreign surfaces, while collagen-based biomaterials triggered rapid IL-6 and IL-8 release. Composites with i-PRF promoted earlier activation of both osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Conclusion: i-PRF showed different synergetic responses based on collagen and calcium phosphate composition in materials it was combined with. Meaning that these findings provide guidance for optimizing biomaterial and i-PRF combinations in surgical applications and inform the design of next-generation PRF–material composites.