IN-VITRO ASSESSMENT OF LYMPHOCYTES RESPONSE FOLLOWING REEXPOSURE TO SILICONE

Currently, the use of silicone-filled devices, mainly in plastic surge ry for breast reconstruction or augmentation, is being debated by the scientific community in connection with the risk to the patient. In th is study the response of whole blood or isolated peripheral blood lymp hocytes from patients with silicone-gel-filled breast implants was ass essed in vitro, in order to verify the hypothesis of silicone material acting in vivo as a sensitizing agent. Both quantitative and qualitat ive changes of lymphocyte subpopulations of patients carrying silicone devices were assessed and compared with healthy subjects. Upon 24-72 h in vitro re-exposure of patients' lymphocytes to silicone extract, l ymphocyte surface antigen expression was monitored by flow cytometry, and the functional response of lymphocytes was measured by radioactive tracer uptake and biochemical changes.