Experimental Autoimmune Meniere's Disease Induced By Immunization With Four Kind Of Components Pured From Inner Ear Membranous Labyrinth Tissue In Guinea Pig

Objective:To investigate whether or not that the four kind ofcomponents pured from conspecific inner ear membranous labyrinth tissueimmunize guinea pig and induce experimental autoimmune Meniere's disease.At the same time, we would like to determine these antigen's distributing andexpressing position in inner ear. Methods:70 guinea pigs were respectivelydivided into group B, group C, group D and group E and were immunizedrespectively with components of inner ear tissue antigen (28,000, 42,000,52,000 and 68,000 proteins). Auditory brainstem response(ABR), level ofspecific antibody against every component of inner ear antigen levels in serum,vestibular function and pathohistological morphological changes of inner ear were observed. These protein antigen's distributing and expressing position ininner ear were located with immunohistochemistry observation. ResultResults:After immunization, there were no significant changes of hearing threshold ingroup A and group B, also no inner ear morphologic changes were found in Aand B group. The levels of specific antibodies in serum of group B,C,D and Egroups increased significantly after immunization.No animals were found tohave hearing loss after immunization in group B,3 animals (4/30 ears) ingroup C, 4 animals (6/28 ears) in group D and 4 animals (6/28 ears) in groupE were found to have hearing loss. Labyrinthine hydrops and decrease ofspiral ganglion cells were found in some animal ears of group C, D and E, allthese ears were found to have hearing loss. The 68,000 protein mainlydistributed at stria vascularis and small the Corti's organ; The 28,000distributed strictly in the spiral ganglion; The 42,000 and 52,000 protein widelydistributed in membranous labyrinth, including the spiral ganglion, Corti'sorgan, stria vascularis and spiral ligament. Conclusions:Three componentsof the inner ear tissue antigen, the 42,000, 52,000 and 68,000 couldrespectively induce autoimmune Meniere's disease, which means more thanone components of inner ear antigens are responsible for the experimentalAIMD.