IMMUNE-RESPONSE TO FRESH MENISCAL ALLOGRAFTS IN MICE

To date, no study of allogeneic meniscal transplantation has investiga ted both the host cellular immune response and the humoral immune resp onse. Using inbred mice, we examined cellular and humoral immunity to meniscal allografts through the mixed lymphocyte culture reaction and a complement-dependent cytotoxicity test. We also examined the histolo gy of an allogeneic meniscus transplanted subcutaneously. The stimulat ion index of the mixed lymphocyte culture seen after placing fresh men iscal allografts subcutaneously was not significantly higher than when isograft controls were similarly placed. Following placement of the a llografts, no specific antibodies were detected in serum throughout th e 24-week period after grafting. Although viable fibrochondrocytes in the allogeneic meniscus decreased in number and lymphocyte infiltratio n around the allogeneic meniscus was noted at Week 2, no remarkable in filtration of lymphocytes into the meniscus was observed. These result s indicate that in our experimental mouse model, a fresh meniscus appa rently is not sufficiently immunogenic to induce a systemic reaction. Our results suggest that a fresh allogeneic meniscus can be transplant ed without any special treatment to decrease its immunogenicity. (C) 1 995 Academic Press, Inc.