Elevated autoantibodies in sera from otosclerotic patients are related to the disease duration

In this study an indirect ELISA with patients' sera was performed using human collagen type II, double- (dsDNA) and single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), thyroid microsomal antigen, insulin and lysozyme as antigens. Since many preoperated otosclerotic patients demonstrated the signs of myringosclerosis (n=7). they were classified separately and compared with otosclerotic patients without myringosclerosis (n=28), with healthy controls (n=42) and with patients with tympanosclerosis (n=5) of other origin. The otosclerotic patients had serum antibodies to antigens tested similar to normal controls. However, elevated antibody levels to human collagen type II, dsDNA and ssDNA were observed only in patients with a disease duration between 3 and 5 years as compared to other otosclerotic patients. The same duration association was observed in the level of the total serum alkaline phosphatase activity. These observations would suggest that the enzymatic bone resorption is the driving force in human otosclerosis. Elevated serum autoantibodies during tissue reparation in the otosclerotic stage may be a transient response to sustained excess antigen turnover in the primary lesion.