Smooth and textured silicone surfaces of modified gel mammary prostheses cause a different impact on fibroproliferative properties of dermal fibroblasts.

Summary Our study addressed the question of whether surface properties of modern standard gel prostheses may have a measurable impact on the fibrogenic properties of cultured human dermal fibroblasts. Fibroblasts were isolated from breast implants by using the explant culture technique and incubated either on smooth or on textured silicone elastomere surfaces. Fibroblast growth was observed 4 weeks following incubation. Expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 was measured after cell culture. Incubated fibroblasts on textured surfaces showed a fivefold lower growth rate during all experiments. TGF-β1 expression was lowered in smooth surface fibroblasts compared with textured surface cultures. Our results show that smooth and textured silicone surfaces of modified gel breast implants have a different impact on the fibroproliferative properties of dermal fibroblasts. These preliminary results seem promising and we aim to further perform qualitative and quantitative analyses of the inflammatory processes in the environment of the implant and their link to the TGF-β pathway.