AN INHIBITOR OF CELL-PROLIFERATION ASSOCIATED WITH ADHESION FORMATIONIS SUPPRESSED BY N,O-CARBOXYMETHYL CHITOSAN

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.