Summary
To date, no study of allogeneic meniscal transplantation has investigated both the host cellular immune response and the humoral immune response. Using inbred mice, we examined cellular immunity to meniscal allografts by assaying mixed lymphocyte culture and investigated humoral immunity through a complement-dependent cytotoxity test. The level of the stimulation index of the mixed lymphocyte culture seen after placing fresh meniscal allografts subcutaneously was not significantly higher than when isograft controls were similarly placed. Following placement of the allografts, no specific antibodies were detected in serum throughout the 24-week period after grafting. Thus, in mice, fresh meniscus apparently is not immunogenic. Our results tentatively suggest that a fresh allogeneic meniscus might be transplanted without any special treatment to decrease its immunogenicity.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Appel H (1970) Late results after meniscectomy in the knee joint: a clinical and roentgenologic follow-up investigation. Acta Orthop Scand Suppl 133:1–111
Arnoczky SP, Warren RF, McDevitt CA (1990) Meniscal replacement using a cryopreserved allograft. An experimental study in the dog. Clin Orthop 252:121–128
Arnoczky SP, McDevitt CA, Schmidt MB, Mow VC, Warren RF (1988) The effect of cryopreservation on canine menisci: a biochemical, morphologic and biomechanical evaluation. J Orthop Res 6:1–12
Bach FH, Widmer MB, Bach ML, Klein J (1972) Serologically defined and lymphocyte defined components of the major histocompatibility complex in the mouse. J Exp Med 136:1430–1444
Canham W, Stanish W (1986) A study of biological behavior of the meniscus as a transplant in the medial compartment of a dog's knee. Am J Sports Med 14:376–379
Cassidy RE, Shaffer AJ (1981) Repair of peripheral meniscus tears. A preliminary report. Am J Sports Med 9:209–214
Chesterman PJ, Smith AU (1968) Homotransplantation of articular cartilage and isolated chondrocytes: an experimental study in rabbits. J Bone Joint Surg [Br] 50:184–197
Cox JS, Cordell LD (1977) The degenerative effects of medial meniscus tears in dog knees. Clin Orthop 125:236–242
DiFerrante N, Donnelly PV, Sajdera SW (1972) A segregated antigen in cartilage matrix. J Lab Clin Med 80:364–372
Elves MW (1974) A study of the transplantation antigens on chondrocytes from articular cartilage. J Bone Joint Surg [Br] 56:178–185
Elves MW (1974) Humoral immune response to allografts of bone. Int Arch Allergy 47:708–715
Fairbank TJ (1948) Knee joint changes after meniscectomy. J Bone Joint Surg [Br] 30:664–670
Ghadially FN, Wedge JH, Lalonde J-MA (1986) Experimental methods of repairing injured menisci. J Bone Joint Surg [Br] 68:105–110
Hagerty RF, Braid HL, Bonner WM Jr, Hennigar GR, Lee WH Jr (1967) Viable and nonviable human cartilage homografts. Surg Gynecol Obstet 125:485–492
Ishida O, Ochi M, Miyamoto Y, Ikuta Y, Akiyama M (1989) Suppression by cyclosporine of cellular and humoral reactivity after peripheral nerve allografts in mice. Transplantation 48:824–828
Keene GCR, Paterson RS, Teague DC (1987) Advances in arthroscopic surgery. Clin Orthop 224:64–70
Langer F, Czitrom A, Pritzker KP, Gross AE (1975) The immunogenicity of fresh and frozen allogeneic bone. J Bone Joint Surg [Am] 57:216–220
Milachowski KA, Weismeier K, Erhardt W, Remberger K (1987) Transplantation of meniscus: an experimental study in sheep. Sportverletz Sportschaden 1:20–26
Milachowski KA, Weismeier K, Wirth CJ, Kohn D (1988) Meniscus transplantation. In: Müller W, Hackenbruch V (eds) Surgery and arthroscopy of the knee. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 380–388
Muir H, Baxter E, Brandt KD (1973) The antigenicity of extracellular proteoglycans: implications for structure and biosynthesis. Biochem Soc Trans 1:223–226
Muscolo DL, Kawai S, Ray RD (1976) Cellular and humoral immune response analysis of bone-allografted rats. J Bone Joint Surg [Am] 58:826–832
Schmidt MB, Arnoczky SP, Mow VC, Warren RF (1986) Biomechanical evaluation of cryopreserved meniscal allografts (abstract). Orthop Trans 10:329–330
Smith AU (1965) Survival of frozen chondrocytes isolated from cartilage of adult mammals. Nature 205:782–784
Tapper EM, Hoover NW (1969) Late results after meniscectomy. J Bone Joint Surg [Am] 51:517–526
Veth RPH, den Heeten GJ, Jansen HWB, Nielsen HKL (1983) An experimental study of reconstructive procedures in lesions of the meniscus. Use of synovial flaps and carbon fiber implants for artificially made lesions in the meniscus of the rabbit. Clin Orthop 181:250–254
Veth RPH, Den Heeten GJ, Jansen HWB, Nielsen HKL (1983) Repair of the meniscus. An experimental investigation in rabbits. Clin Orthop 175:258–262
Virolainen M, Hayry P, Defendi V (1969) Effect of presensitization of the mixed lymphocyte reaction of rat spleen cell cultures. Transplantation 8:179–188
Wilson DB, Silvers WK, Nowell PC (1967) Quantitative studies on the mixed lymphocyte interaction in rats. II. Relationship of the proliferative response to the immunologic status of the donors. J Exp Med 126:655–665
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ochi, M., Ikuta, Y., Ishida, O. et al. Cellular and humoral immune responses after fresh meniscal allografts in mice. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 112, 163–166 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00662281
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00662281