PREFERENTIAL CELLULAR AND HUMORAL IMMUNE REACTIVITIES TO NATIVE AND DENATURED COLLAGEN TYPE-IX AND TYPE-XI IN A PATIENT WITH FATAL RELAPSING POLYCHONDRITIS

We describe a patient with histologically confirmed relapsing polychon dritis, an episodic systemic disorder. Although the etiology is unknow n and its pathogenesis is incompletely understood, there is evidence s trongly suggesting immunologically mediated mechanisms. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assays, immunoblotting and cellular immune responses usi ng lymphocyte proliferation assays showed strong parallel humoral and cellular immune reactivities against collagens type IX and XI. There w as also a considerable response to collagen type II which, however, wa s less pronounced compared to collagen type IX and was directed to nat ive epitopes. Our findings demonstrate a highly distinct immune respon se to minor matrix collagens in a destructive cartilage disease and th us strongly argue against nonspecific anticollagen immune reactions si mply representing epiphenomena resulting from cartilage damage.