Proliferation, Metabolic Activity, and Adipogenic Differentiation of Human Preadipocytes Exposed to 2 Surfactants In Vitro

Fat grafting is a pivotal technique for tissue repair. Adipose stromal cells, including preadipocytes, play a major role in the regenerative effects attributed to fat grafting. But the benefits are impaired by the low survival of the graft due to mechanical stress during harvesting, hypoxia, and nutrient deprivation. Nonionic surfactant molecules demonstrated their efficacy in preventing and repairing mechanical damage on the cellular membrane, but it is poorly understood if and how they affect cellular viability, proliferation, and differentiation. We investigated the influence of 2 nonionic surfactants, Kolliphor®P188 and Kolliphor®EL, on cultured human preadipocytes. We analyzed their effects on metabolic activity, cell number, adipogenic differentiation, and secretion of growth factors. Kolliphor®P188 increased metabolic activity, while it did not influence proliferation and differentiation as well as growth factors release. Kolliphor®EL confirmed its cytotoxic effect at the highest concentrations applied. Contrariwise, treatment with lower concentrations significantly raised metabolic activity, induced adipogenesis, and increased insulin-like growth factor-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor secretion. The effect on differentiation was inhibited by blocking peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma. Our results revealed important effects of surfactants on preadipocytes' survival, proliferation, death, and the interplay with their environment. Particularly Kolliphor®EL provides modes of action, which could recommend it for novel treatment to improve fat graft viability.