Tj. Krause et al., AN INHIBITOR OF CELL-PROLIFERATION ASSOCIATED WITH ADHESION FORMATIONIS SUPPRESSED BY N,O-CARBOXYMETHYL CHITOSAN, Journal of investigative surgery, 11(2), 1998, pp. 105-113
Surgical adhesions are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The i
deal barrier agent will both minimize adhesions and provide a milieu f
or the regeneration of the mesothelium lining of the abdominal and tho
racic cavities. N,O-Carboxymethylchitosan (NOCC), a derivation of chit
in that markedly reduces adhesions, may function to modulate intracell
ular signals such as growth factors and cytokines in the inflammatory
exudate. Since transforming growth factor-beta is implicated in the fi
brotic process, we investigated the possibility that NOCC's effects on
adhesion formation reflects a modulation of TGF-beta activity. Using
a biological assay for inhibition of cell proliferation to detect TGF-
beta activity, we demonstrate that NOCC suppresses the levels of an in
hibitor of cell proliferation released into serum and peritoneal exuda
tes after cecal abrasion in the rat. However, this activity was distin
ct from known forms of TGF-beta as determined using both TGF-beta-neut
ralizing antisera and a TGF-beta-resistant cell proliferation assay. T
hus at least one potential effect of NOCC involves a mechanism distinc
t from TGF-beta inhibition.