Immunologic stimulation of T lymphocytes by silica after use of silicone mammary implants

Abstract

Difficulties in showing the biologic activity of silicones in vitro have contributed to the controversy over effects of silicone mammary implants in vivo. We adapted a standard lymphocyte stimulation test to detect evidence of cellular immunity in patients with silicone gel implants. Initially, lymphocytes were harvested from 70 implant patients, 76 normal controls without implants or symptoms, and 18 patients with classic rheumatic disorders and without a history of silicone implants. The harvested lymphocytes were stimulated with PWM, PHA, Con A, and pharmaceutical grade colloidal silicon dioxide (silica). Implant patients showed increased SI compared to controls and those with rheumatic disorders. The mean SI of implant patients was 195.0 +/- 19.3, 18-fold that of normal controls (< 0.0001). Patients with rheumatic disease showed the same SI as controls (P = 0.3577). A follow-up study included 220 normal controls without implants, 942 silicone gel implant patients with demonstrable rheumatic symptoms, and 34 implant patients without symptoms at the time of the study. The average SI for the 220 normal controls was 10.0 +/- 0.41. Among the symptomatic implant women, 860 (91.3%) had SI significantly above those of the normal controls. Of these, 171 (18.2%) had SI between 25 and 50, 316 (33.5%) had SI between 50 and 100, and 373 (39.6%) had SI over 100. The data presented confirms that silicone implant patients respond immunologically to the silicon dioxide contained in mammary prostheses.

Flow Cytometric Analysis of Peripheral Blood Lymphocyte Subsets in Patients with Silicone Breast Implants

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Although the mechanism of capsular contracture is not well understood, capsular contracture is possibly caused by subclinical bacterial colonization, contaminants, shear forces, and tissue reactions against the implanted material. 1-3,8 -10 Whenever a breast implant is inserted, the body reacts by forming a protective capsule around it.…”

An analytical review of silicone immunology

“…A similar lymphocyte proliferation test that employed colloidal, pharmaceutical-grade silicon dioxide as an antigen and the lectin concanavalin A as a control was reported by Smalley et a1 (70). The mean SI in 220 normal control subjects was 10, and 91.3% of the symptomatic implant patients and 64.7% of the asymptomatic implant patients had positive test results, defined as an SI of 225.…”

En kvinne i 30-årene med feber av ukjent årsak

“…Silicone that migrates outside the breast initiates inflammation and granuloma formation (12). Migration to axillary lymph nodes is most common.…”