CELLULAR AND HUMORAL IMMUNE-RESPONSES AFTER FRESH MENISCAL ALLOGRAFTSIN MICE - A PRELIMINARY-REPORT

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 immunity to meniscal all ografts 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 placi ng fresh meniscal allografts subcutaneously was not significantly high er than when isograft controls were similarly placed. Following placem ent of the allografts, no specific antibodies were detected in serum t hroughout the 24-week period after grafting. Thus. in mice, fresh meni scus apparently is not immunogenic. Our results tentatively suggest th at a fresh allogeneic meniscus might be transplanted without any speci al treatment to decrease its immunogenicity.