Immunological Analysis of IgG and Other Protein Fractions in Endolymph Obtained from Endolymphatic Sac of Meniere Patients and a Control

Abstract

During endolymphatic sac surgery on patients with Meniere's disease, very small amounts (1 μl) of the intra-sac endolymph were obtained with micro-glass pipets. An immunological assay of microanalysis of the protein by the single radial immunodiffusion (SRID) method was applied to 2 patients, one with bilateral involvement and the other unilateral. Among the protein fractions Alb, IgG, IgM, IgA, C₃, C₄, transferrin and α₂M, the concentrations of IgG were relatively higher, especially in the Meniere patient in the active stage. From 2 other patients and a control deaf patient with temporal bone fracture, the same amounts of endolymph were obtained, accompanied by a tiny specimen of the outer wall of the sac. When a radio-immunological procedure was applied to the endolymph and the homogenized sac, the specific concentration of IgG was higher in the Meniere patients than in the control.

Key words:

• Meniere
• IgG
• endolymph