Immunological analysis of IgG and other protein fractions in endolymph obtained from endolymphatic sac of Meniere patients and a control.

During endolymphatic sac surgery on patients with Meniere's disease, very small amounts (1 microliter) 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 alpha 2M, 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.