Synopses & Reviews
The subject of this book is about the response of the immune system to silicones. The chemistry of silicones and composi- tion of commonly used silicone breast implants is described. It has been estimated that around 800,000 women in the U.S. have been recipients of silicone breast implants and there is much concern about the biological reaction to material contained within these implants. Silicones interact with proteins and tissues, usually in a non-specific way. The question of whether silicone implants cause disease was not the subject of this book. It does seem generally accepted that under special circumstances silicone gels can induce the formation of chronic granulomas and act as immunological adjuvants. The main benefit is the ability to develop a perspective on this field often clouded by controversy.
Synopsis
This issue of Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology records the proceedings of a Workshop on the Immunology of Sili- cones held at the Natcher Conference Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, March 13 and 14, 1995. A large num- ber of investigators from North America and Europe met to discuss available data on how the immune system responds to silicones and related materials. Some aspects of this field are controversial. Nonetheless, the meeting was marked by a civil and open ex- change of scientific information and divergent interpretations, re- flecting the traditions of scientific communication. Each invited participant was asked to submit an article sum- marizing his/her presentation. Most of the papers are published as submitted, with only editorial changes to conform with the guide- lines given to each contributor or revisions to clarify aspects of the paper. The papers should not be regarded as peer-reviewed publi- cations. This preface will attempt to outline some of the immu- nological areas of investigation relating to silicones.