Western blot immunoassay for HSP-70 antibodies in idiopathic tinnitus: a preliminary report.
OBJECTIVE
Our preliminary study investigated the role of nonspecific immunologic tests and immunoassay for heat shock protein 70 (HSP-70) in supporting the possibility of an autoimmune inner ear process determining idiopathic tinnitus.


METHODS
Thirty-six consecutive patients with idiopathic tinnitus without other otologic or autoimmune diseases and 20 healthy blood donor subjects underwent determinations of circulating immune complexes (CICs) and other nonspecific immunologic factors and immunoassay for HSP-70.


RESULTS
The mean CIC values were 4.2 microg/mL in the tinnitus patients and 0.9 microg/mL in the control group (p = .012). Thirteen of the 36 tinnitus patients and none of the control group were HSP-70-positive. Ten of the 13 HSP-70-positive patients had CIC values higher than normal. In the tinnitus group, the mean CIC values were 6.9 microg/mL and 2.6 microg/mL in the HSP-70-positive and -negative subgroups, respectively (p = .024).


CONCLUSIONS
It may be hypothesized that in a significant number of cases, idiopathic tinnitus could be induced by immune response to inner ear-specific HSP-70.
Savastano
Marina
M
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
Celadin
Marilena
M
Pittoni
Marina
M
Plebani
Mario
M
Marioni
Gino
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D005260:Female; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*
D000906:Antibodies; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins