[An improved animal model of autoimmune inner ear disease].
OBJECTIVE
To establish an experimental autoimmune inner ear disease model, which could exhibit high reproducibility and be adopted for detailed immunological analysis.


METHODS
Extraction of guinea pig inner ear antigens (IEAg). The inbred mice were given a single subcutaneous injection of diluted solution of pertussis and an emulsion containing equal parts of CFA and IEAg. The ABR threshold shifts were evaluated. The antibody level to IEAg in serum was detected by ELISA. Inner ear specimen were examined by light microscopy with hematoxylin and eosin staining. The infiltrated cells within cochlea were clarified with immunohistochemical techniques.


RESULTS
The ABR thresholds of IEAg-sensitized animals were elevated significantly. Histological changes in cochlea were significant. Inflammatory cell infiltration was clearly observed in the cochlea of the animals following sensitization with IEAg. Degeneration of the spiral ganglion cells, which characterizes a decrease in cell numbers, and formation of endolymphatic hydrops were often seen too. Serum anti-IEAg levels after inoculation were significantly increased in the IEAg sensitised groups. Most of the infiltrated lymphocytes in scala tympani were CD4+ T cells.


CONCLUSIONS
The experimental autoimmune inner ear disease can be induced by a single inoculation of IEAg-CFA emulsion and pertussis in inbred C57BL/6 mice.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
Liang
L
Chai
Yang
Y
Gao
Zhi-yan
ZY
Gu
Dao-feng
DF
Ni
D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007759:Labyrinth Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL