The surface topography of silicone breast implants mediates the foreign body response in mice, rabbits and humans.

Abstract

Silicone is widely used in chronic implants and is generally perceived to be safe. However, textured breast implants have been associated with immune-related complications, including malignancies. Here, by examining for up to one year the foreign body response and capsular fibrosis triggered by miniaturized or full-scale clinically approved breast implants with different surface topography (average roughness, 0-90 μm) placed in the mammary fat pads of mice or rabbits, respectively, we show that surface topography mediates immune responses to the implants. We also show that the surface surrounding human breast implants collected during revision surgeries also differentially alters the individual's immune responses to the implant. Moreover, miniaturized implants with an average roughness of 4 μm can largely suppress the foreign body response and fibrosis (but not in T-cell-deficient mice), and that tissue surrounding these implants displayed higher levels of immunosuppressive FOXP3+ regulatory T cells. Our findings suggest that, amongst the topographies investigated, implants with an average roughness of 4 μm provoke the least amount of inflammation and foreign body response.

• Authors: Joshua C Doloff, Omid Veiseh, Roberto de Mezerville, Marcos Sforza, Tracy Ann Perry, Jennifer Haupt, Morgan Jamiel, Courtney Chambers, Amanda Nash, Samira Aghlara-Fotovat, Jessica L Stelzel, Stuart J Bauer, Sarah Y Neshat, John Hancock, Natalia Araujo Romero, Yessica Elizondo Hidalgo, Isaac Mora Leiva, Alexandre Mendonça Munhoz, Ardeshir Bayat, Brian M Kinney, H Courtney Hodges, Roberto N Miranda, Mark W Clemens, Robert Langer
• Journal: Nature biomedical engineering (Nat Biomed Eng) Vol. 5 Issue 10 Pg. 1115-1130 (10 2021) ISSN: 2157-846X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 34155355 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.

Chemical References

• Silicones

Topics

• Animals
• Breast Implantation (adverse effects)
• Breast Implants (adverse effects)
• Foreign Bodies
• Foreign-Body Reaction (etiology)
• Humans
• Mice
• Rabbits
• Silicones (adverse effects)