AUTOANTIBODIES AGAINST CARTILAGE COMPONEN TS - CLINICAL RELEVANCE FORHEAD AND NECK-SURGERY

The clinical relevance of antibodies against components of cartilage i n the reconstructive surgery has not yet been clarified. In our study four groups of patients with successful and unsuccessful autologous ca rtilage transplantation in rhinosurgery, patients with ear perichondri tis and patients with tracheal stenosis after long-term intubation wer e investigated for the presence of a humoral immune reactivity to cart ilage. The control groups consisted of healthy persons and patients wi th RA. The antibodies against cartilage matrix and chondrocytes were d etermined using indirect immunofluorescence methods. Patients with uns uccessful cartilage transplantation showed increased antibodies agains t autologous cartilage (until 1:100) compared to the patients with suc cessful cartilage transplantation. Furthermore, patients suffering fro m ear perichondritis and tracheal stenosis showed also increased antib odies against cartilage. These data suggest that a humoral immune reac tivity against autologous cartilage - independent of an infection - ca n be one cause for the destruction of cartilaginous tissue.