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Circulating auto-antibodies in Ménière's disease
H Perez Garrigues1, E Carmona, C Morera
1Otorhinolaryngology Unit, La Fe Hospital, Valencia, Spain.
Abstract:
In the last years, it has been claimed that patients suffering from Menière's disease exhibit Circulating Immune Complexes, as well as free antibodies specifically directed against type II collagen, a component of the mammal inner ear. Furthermore, by means of repeated injections of type II collagen to the guinea-pig. Menière's disease has been reproduced. Taken together, all these features strongly suggest that Menière's disease fulfills most of the postulates that Witebsky established for the classification of auto-immune diseases. However, in spite of being a very well known marker of auto-immune conditions, non organ nor species specific Circulating Auto-Antibodies (CAA) have not been reported, to our knowledge, in Meniere's disease. Based upon this fact, Anti-Nuclear, Anti-Mitochondrial, Anti-Smooth Muscle, Anti-LKM and Anti-Parietal Gastric Cells Auto-Antibodies have been investigated in 49 patients diagnosed as having Meniere's disease according to the criteria of the AAOO. All of them were asymptomatic at the time of the study. Seventy eight serum samples from Normal Healthy Subjects (NHS) constituted the control group. CAA were tested by indirect immunofluorescence on rat organs according to the method described by Coons. Additionally, the seric levels of C3, and C4 as well as the haemolytic capacity (CH-50) of the serum samples were tested. Furthermore, Circulating Immune Complexes (CIC) as well as the Complement-Mediated Mechanisms involved in the clearance of CIC (Complement-Mediated Solubilization and Inhibition of the Immune Precipitation) were investigated in parallel.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Insights
This study investigated autoimmune markers in Meniere's disease, finding no evidence of specific autoantibodies. Further research is needed to understand the disease's autoimmune connections.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Otolaryngology
- Autoimmune Diseases
Background:
- Meniere's disease is suspected to have autoimmune origins, with previous studies suggesting circulating immune complexes and antibodies against type II collagen.
- Autoimmune disease classification typically involves identifying autoantibodies, which have not been consistently reported in Meniere's disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence of non-organ-specific autoantibodies (CAA) in patients with Meniere's disease.
- To analyze circulating immune complexes (CIC) and complement system activity in Meniere's disease patients.
Main Methods:
- Indirect immunofluorescence was used to detect various autoantibodies (Anti-Nuclear, Anti-Mitochondrial, Anti-Smooth Muscle, Anti-LKM, Anti-Parietal Gastric Cells) in 49 Meniere's disease patients and 78 healthy controls.
- Serum levels of C3, C4, and total hemolytic complement (CH-50) were measured.
- Circulating immune complexes and complement-mediated clearance mechanisms were also assessed.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in the prevalence of the investigated autoantibodies were found between Meniere's disease patients and healthy controls.
- Analysis of circulating immune complexes and complement activity did not reveal distinct patterns in Meniere's disease patients.
Conclusions:
- The study did not find evidence supporting the presence of common circulating autoantibodies in Meniere's disease patients.
- The findings suggest that if Meniere's disease is autoimmune, it may involve different mechanisms than those typically associated with autoantibody production.