Comparing transforming growth factor‐β2, talc and bleomycin as pleurodesing agents in sheep

Abstract

Transforming growth factor-beta2 was as effective as talc and more so than bleomycin in inducing pleurodesis in sheep. Intrapleural administration of TGF-beta2 appeared safe. No acute changes in gaseous exchange or macroscopic abnormalities were seen following intrapleural TGF-beta2. Importantly, there was no evidence of an increase in systemic TGF-beta levels following its intrapleural administration.

Effect of Neutralizing Transforming Growth Factor β1 on the Immune Response againstMycobacterium tuberculosisin Guinea Pigs

“…In patients with recurrent pleural effusions, typically due to cancer, pleurodesis is performed, in which the pleural space is obliterated by the induction of pleural fibrosis (21). TGF-␤ has been used to induce pleurodesis in animal models and appears to be a good candidate for use in humans (20,22,23,25).…”

New agents for pleurodesis

“…Our studies on both rabbits [27] and sheep [28,29] revealed that intrapleural injection of small amounts of TGF-β results in better pleurodesis than does the intrapleural injection of either doxycycline or talc slurry. Pleurodesis occurs faster after TGF-β than after talc [30].…”

Thoracoscopic collagen pleurodesis in the treatment of malignant pleural effusions

“…The process of pleurodesis can also be triggered without significant inflammation. For example, Lee et al [12] advocated the use for this purpose transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta2, which is profibrotic cytokine proved capable of producing fibrosis without inducing pleural inflammation in sheep. Collagen as a biological material is widely utilised in the form of xenograft across the range of surgical specialities [7,13] and one of the authors successfully used commercially available porcine dermal collagen mesh in anterior abdominal wall reconstruction.…”