The effect of treating infected skin grafts with Acticoat™ on immune cells
Abstract
A study was conducted to determine the effect of Acticoat™ placed on an infected skin graft on parameters of immunity. Two partial thickness wounds (2
cm
×
4
cm) were created on the dorsal midline of Hartley guinea pigs (n
=
28). Wounds were covered with autologous skin graft and maintained either aseptically (Noninoculated, n
=
8), inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus (Surgery-Inoculated, n
=
8) with or without Acticoat™ bandage (Surgery-Inoculated-Acticoat, n
=
6). Five days later, splenocytes and blood were collected to estimate natural killer cell (NK) cytotoxicity, proliferative response to T and B cell mitogens and neutrophil oxidative burst. Animals that did not undergo surgery were included as a nonsurgery control group. [3H]-thymidine incorporation in response to a variety of T and B cell mitogens was significantly lower for all groups undergoing surgery compared to the nonsurgery control group (p
<
0.0001) and no additional effect was observed on this immune measure by applying the Acticoat bandage. The Surgery-Inoculated-Acticoat group exhibited greater NK cytotoxic activity (as assessed as the ability to lyse K562 tumor cells) compared to the Surgery-Inoculated group (p
<
0.006). The Surgery-Inoculated-Acticoat group had higher neutrophil oxidative burst at 5
min post stimulation, but was not different from controls after 15
min. In conclusion, the application of an Acticoat™ bandage to an inoculated surgery wound did not alter the low cell-mediated immune response that followed surgery, but appeared to increase parameters (NK cytotoxic activity and neutrophil function) of innate immunity.
Keywords: Natural killer cell, Silver-coated dressing, Wound healing, Neutrophils, Surgery, Infection
PII: S0305-4179(06)00162-8
doi:10.1016/j.burns.2006.04.027
© 2006 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.
