[Inner ear physiological function and pathological morphology in the offsprings of sensorineural hearing loss female guinea pigs induced by homogeneous inner ear antigens immunizing].

OBJECTIVE

To explore if the autoimmune of anti-labyrinth tissues acts as one of pathogenic cause by observing the inner ear physiological functions and pathological morphology changes of offspring of autoimmune sensorineural hearing loss (ASHL) female guinea pig.

METHODS

The pregnant guinea pigs were immunized with homogeneous inner ear antigens (HIEAg), then, the hearing function were measured with EcochG [inspecting items including acoustic nerve compound action potential (cAP), summation potential (-SP) and cochlear microphone potential (CM)], while the vestibular function were measured with electronystagmography (inspecting items including spontaneous nystagmus and caloric test), inner ear Celloidin section with haematoxylin-eosin dyeing and being inspected under light microscope. The special antibodies in serum and special lymphocyte immune reaction were measured with ELISA and 3H-TdR intermingling lymphocyte transform test in all female guinea pigs and their offspring guinea pigs.

RESULTS

In 7 offspring guinea pigs, 3 animals appeared sensorineural hearing loss. Immuno-inflammation pathologic changes happened in the labyrinth (including the number of bipolar cells reduced and some kind of inflammatory cells infiltrated in spiral ganglion and endolymphatic hydrops et al.), and rise of special antibodies against HIEAg in serum. There were no any obvious abnormity found in non-ASHL pregnant and normal contrastive pregnant guinea pigs and their offspring.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, some of ASHL female guinea pig's offspring demonstrated different grades of sensorineural hearing loss and inner ear inflammation, and the special humoral and cellular immune reaction against HIEAg, which could be induced by autoimmune inflammation against inner ear tissues antigens with special antibodies (maybe including special cellular immune reaction) from matrix through placental barrier. This result suggests that the factor of autoimmune against inner ear tissue antigens may be one of pathogenic causes inducing non-heritage congenital sensorineural hearing loss.