Investigation of the antiadhesive properties of human mesothelial cells cultured in vitro on implantable surgical materials.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the interactions of Permacol, Prolene mesh, Surgisis Gold, and Alloderm with human mesothelial cells in vitro. The capacity of primary human mesothelial cells to adhere to the surface of Alloderm, Surgisis Gold, Prolene mesh, and Permacol as well as support the proliferation and viability of the seeded cells was determined. Production of antifibrinolytic, fibrinolytic, and inflammatory mediators (IL-8, TPA, MMP-1, PAI-1, and TGF-beta) was assessed over an 8-day period. The adhesive nature of the implantable materials was determined by assessment of the strength of any fibrin clots formed between two surfaces of each implant material. Surgisis Gold and Permacol were capable of supporting the attachment and proliferation of primary human mesothelial cells and maintaining viability over an 8-day culture period. Mesothelial cells were shown to have covered the surface of Permacol and Surgisis Gold in a monolayer. The viability of cells cultured on Permacol was significantly greater than the other implant materials tested. Mesothelial cells cultured on Permacol or Surgisis were shown to be producing high levels of fibrinolytic compounds and low levels of antifibrinolytic and inflammatory mediators. Alloderm was shown to produce high levels of IL-8 and antifibrinolytic mediators when compared with the other implantable materials. Permacol was shown to be an unreliable surface for clot formation in vitro and any clots formed were shown to be significantly weaker than the clots produced between two surfaces of tissue culture plastic, Prolene mesh, Alloderm, and Surgisis Gold. This in vitro study indicated that Permacol and Surgisis Gold supported the growth and fibrinolytic activity of human mesothelial cells; however, Permacol was shown to be superior in this respect.