Immune response in patients receiving fresh osteochondral allografts

Immunologic response to cartilage-specific protein (CSP) antigens was tested in patients treated with fresh osteochondral allografts. Eight of 14 allograft recipients showed immune reactivity against CSP, whereas only 2 of 14 controls were reactive (P<.05). The molecular weights of the most common immunoreactive proteins were 220 kd and 95 kd. The precise identity of these proteins could not be determined using standard anticollagen antibodies. These data indicate the presence of antibodies to CSP--which supports the concept of immunologic response to the cartilage component of osteochondral allografts.