The influence of silicone implantation on type II collagen-induced arthritis in mice.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether silicone implantation exacerbates autoimmune disease in a murine experimental model of arthritis.


METHODS
DBA/1 mice were implanted with silicone in the form of an elastomer, gel, or oil, and immunized with type II collagen. The influence of silicone implantation on collagen-induced arthritis and the immune response to type II collagen were determined by comparison against control mice receiving sham implantation. Adjuvant effects of silicone implantation were examined by measuring cytokine levels in implanted animals and assessing autoantibodies against proteins extracted from recovered silicone implants.


RESULTS
No adverse influence of silicone implantation on the clinical aspects of collagen-induced arthritis was observed. Further, polydimethylsiloxane silicone oil failed to serve as an adjuvant in the immune or arthritogenic response to type II collagen in mice. Cytokine analysis indicated that tumor necrosis factor alpha levels were lower and interleukin-2 levels were higher in silicone-implanted mice. The development of arthritis increased protein binding to implanted elastomers and gel, and autoantibodies against silicone-bound proteins were present in sera from arthritic mice and absent in sera from nonarthritic mice.


CONCLUSIONS
The data suggest that silicone implantation may result in autoantibodies against silicone-bound proteins, and the presence of arthritis may either provoke or increase the level of such autoantibodies. However, silicone implantation did not increase the incidence or severity of disease compared with sham-operated controls. Thus, it appears that autoantibodies against silicone-bound proteins may not have pathologic significance in this experimental model of arthritis.
Schaefer
C J
CJ
Wayne State University Medical School, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA.
Whalen
J D
JD
Knapp
T
T
Wooley
P H
PH
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003094:Collagen / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D015994:Incidence; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D019736:Prostheses and Implants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012825:Silicon / Q000378:metabolism; D012826:Silicone Elastomers
D000906:Antibodies; D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D016207:Cytokines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007375:Interleukin-1; D012826:Silicone Elastomers; D003094:Collagen; D012825:Silicon