Inner Ear Autoantibodies in Patients with Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Abstract

In order to identify the inner ear autoantibodies, sera of 195 patients with sensorineural hearing loss and/or vertigo were reached with bovine inner ear antigen by western blotting method. Positive reaction was seen at several molecular weights, in which 33–35 kD, 42 kD and 68 kD were highly reactive. In moderate to severe hearing loss patients, positive reactions with 33–35 kD, 42 kD. 68 kD and others were 25.8%, 26.8%, 26.8% and 71.5% respectively. On the other hand, a positive rate did not clearly correlate with diagnostic entities. Further study to purify inner ear antigen may evaluate inner ear autoimmune disease.

Key Words:

• inner ear
• autoantibody
• sensorineural hearing loss
• autoimmunity