IN-VITRO ANALYSIS OF A POSSIBLE HUMAN-IMM UNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TRANSMISSION USING CARTILAGE ALLOGRAFTS

With the increasing prevalence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HI V), the possibility of a transmission of HIV via allogenic transplants has increased. To assess the risk of transferring HIV with allogenic cartilage grafts we investigated the susceptibility of chondrocytes to the virus. Our results indicate the absence of the HIV receptor (CD-4 -molecule) on chondrocytes by immunohistochemistry and FACS analyses. Furthermore cultures from chondrocytes and high doses of HIV-1 did not show an active replication. Hence, we conclude that normal cartilage cells cannot be infected by HIV This means that the risk of HIV transm ission by cartilage allografts is very low if no contaminating tissues like blood, perichondrium and calcifications etc. are present.