Cultured allogeneic fibroblast injection vs. fibroblasts cultured on amniotic membrane scaffold for dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa treatment.

BACKGROUND: Different methods of fibroblast application have been examined to treat recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB).

OBJECTIVES: To compare the effects of intradermal injection of cultured allogeneic fibroblasts in healing RDEB wounds with those of fibroblasts seeded on amniotic membrane scaffolds (FAMS) or standard wound care (SWC) with Vaseline® gauze as controls.

METHODS: Seven patients were recruited, and seven wounds were assessed in each patient: three wounds were treated with injection of intradermal fibroblasts, three were treated with FAMS and one was dressed with SWC. Changes in wound size were assessed after 2 and 12 weeks of treatment. Qualitative wound scores (QWS) were used to assess wound severity. Additionally, biopsies and antigen mapping were performed to detect type VII collagen in the dermoepidermal junction.

RESULTS: In both treated areas, the QWS and wound size were significantly decreased (P < 0·001), whereas there were no changes in the control group (P = 0·29). After 2 and 12 weeks of treatment, the wound size was significantly decreased in wounds that were treated with fibroblast injection compared with those treated with FAMS (P < 0·001); but no significant changes were found in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS: Fibroblast injection has been shown to promote healing of RDEB wounds and is superior to FAMS or the control treatment.