Expression Of Cytokines At The Site Of Implanted Xenogeneic Bone And Related Investigations

Inadequate supply of allogeneic bone and the morbidity secondary to autograft harvesting procedure prompted a rekindled interest in bone xenograft. The immune rejection following bone xenografting is the main obstacle to this practice. While transplantation immunity involving the many aspects in this field of theoretical and practical significance has been extensively explored, several issues remained unresolved and merited further study. Cytokines have been the focus of intensive investigation during recent years, however, their roles as the regulator of cellular immunity and their influence on other physio-pathologic processes need to be elucidated in greater detail. TNF- α and IL- 6 are considered to be multi- functional cytokines which may have roles in modulation of the inflammatory reaction and bone metabolism, in addition to their participation in immunoregulation. Recently high expression of TNF- α and IL-6 has been noted in the rejected transplants, suggesting a strong correlation between the presence of the two cytokines and the rejection. Therefore, the analysis of TNF- α and IL-6 expression in the area of implanted xenograft would be...