Immunology of cartilage in septic arthritis.
Septic arthritis in one knee joint was produced in 18 rabbits, the contralateral knee being left intact. Sections stained with fluorescein conjugated anti-IgG and with fluorescein conjugated anti-IgM showed layers of immunoglobulins on the articular cartilage in 16 out of 17 injected joints, and 10 out of 17 supposedly "normal" knee joints. Concurrent tests for circulating anti-staphylococcal alpha-lysin gave negative results. Cultures of synovial fluids were negative. These observations suggest that articular cartilage may act as an auto-antigen; immunological mechanisms involved may be due to the combined activity of both cell-bound and humoral antibodies. There are 2 components to a septic arthritis, the primary being a bacterial and the secondary immunologic in nature.
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000276:immunology*; D001324:Autoantigens; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000276:immunology*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007109:Immunity; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000276:immunology; D008860:Microscopy, Ultraviolet; D011817:Rabbits; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001324:Autoantigens