ABSENCE OF IMMUNITY TO TYPE-II COLLAGEN AND PROTEOGLYCAN IN OSTEOARTHRITIC C57BL MICE

We measured immunity to type II collagen and proteoglycans in osteoart hritic C57BL mice to determine whether it is related to osteoarthritis pathogenesis, Histological examination revealed articular cartilage l esions in all mice and synovitis in only a few mice. Immunological res ponses to type II collagen were found in collagen arthritic mice, but not in C57BL mice. Furthermore, immunological responses to proteoglyca ns were observed in proteoglycan-immunized mice, but not in C57BL mice . Therefore, articular cartilage degeneration may not result in autoim munity to type II collagen and proteoglycans in osteoarthritis of C57B L mice, and immune responses to these components may not be a primary etiology of osteoarthritis in this model.