SERUM ANTIBODIES TO TYPE II COLLAGEN AND IMMUNE COMPLEX IN CASES OF MENIERE'S DISEASE

• Published in: Nippon Jibi Inkoka Gakkai Kaiho Vol. 97; no. 5; pp. 887 - 897
• Main Author: YOSHINO, KIYOMI
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: Japan The Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Society of Japan, Inc 1994
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antigen-Antibody Complex - analysis; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - immunology; Autoantibodies - analysis; Collagen - immunology; Humans; Meniere Disease - immunology; Middle Aged
• ISSN: 0030-6622; 1883-0854
• DOI: 10.3950/jibiinkoka.97.887

In a previous study, endolymphatic hydrops was induced in 36% of guinea pigs immunized with type II collagen and a dominant negative SP was recorded from these hydropic animals. These results suggested that the immune response to type II collagen may have a role in the etiopathology of some cases of Meniere's disease. In this study, we evaluated the levels of serum antibody to type II collagen and three other immune indexes in patients with Meniere's disease, especially those who showed negative SP dominance on electrocochleography. Twenty-nine Meniere's cases, 22 normal volunteers serving as controls, 28 RA cases, and 9 patients complaining of vertigo were examined to detect serum immune indexes. Meniere's patients exhibited high values of serum antitype II collagen antibody as compared to control subjects. Furthermore, total IgG, C3, anti-type II collagen antibody and circulating immune complex were increased with the highest levels being in the RA group, followed by Meniere's disease and then the control group. These results probably reflect the extent of immune reaction development. The immune response may be generalized in RA cases and/or local in Meniere's disease. Our study results suggest the development of certain immune status abnormalities in our cases, which lends support to the idea of an immunologic disorder playing a role in the etiology of some cases of Meniere's disease.