Reduction of inner ear inflammation by treatment with anti-ICAM-1 antibody.

The in vivo effect of systemic administration of monoclonal antibody (mAb) against ICAM-1 (alphaICAM-1) in experimental immune-mediated labyrinthitis was evaluated. The alphaICAM-1-treated rats showed reduced inflammatory cell infiltration in the scala tympani and the perisaccular tissue of the endolymphatic sac. However, with this experimental paradigm, labyrinthitis could not be completely abolished. These findings suggest that ICAM-1-dependent pathways play an important role in the series of immunologic events occurring in the inner ear, and that the use of ICAM-1 antagonist may be a possible therapeutic approach to labyrinthitis.