ASPECTS OF INNER EAR IMMUNOLOGY

明年的目标将是进一步突出 观察到内耳对抗原攻击的体液免疫应答， 定量主要免疫缺陷病毒外淋巴内的免疫球蛋白水平， 免疫球蛋白类别（IgM、IgG、伊加）。 我们将评估相对 内耳抗原激发刺激外周血淋巴细胞增殖的实验研究 与全身给予的抗原攻击相比， 鞘内注射进入中耳 这将需要使用 豚鼠T细胞胚细胞生成试验，我们现在已经很好地表征 有丝分裂原和KLH 此外，我们还将利用现有的试点数据， 抗耳蜗自身免疫动物模型的建立 进一步表征这种自身抗体对内耳的影响。 我们 将评估用牛耳蜗抗原免疫的所有动物的 ELISA法检测抗耳蜗抗体滴度，T细胞反应性 耳蜗抗原的影响，并通过CM & AP阈值测定。 关于免疫反应的初步数据， 内耳的病毒感染表明内耳免疫力 保护耳蜗免受听力损失和炎症的影响， 病毒 我们将进一步描述这种免疫反应的动力学特征 和产生的免疫球蛋白类别。 这些研究将使我们更好地了解内耳 免疫反应性和这种反应对耳蜗功能的影响。

The objectives for the coming year will be to further characterize the observed inner ear humoral immune response to antigen challenge by quantifying the immunoglobulin levels within the perilymph for the major immunoglobulin classes (IgM, IgG, IgA). We will assess the relative effectiveness of inner ear antigen challenge in stimulating peripheral blood T cells compared to antigen challenges given systemically, intrathecally and into the middle ear. This will require the use of a guinea pig T cell blastogenesis assay which we have now well-characterized for mitogens and KLH. Additionally we will utilize pilot data we have generated on the creation of animal model of anticochlear autoimmunity to further characterize the effects of this autoantibody on the inner ear. We will assess all animals immunized with bovine cochlear antigen for their developing titer of anti-cochlear antibody by ELISA, T cell responsiveness to cochlear antigen by blastogenesis assay and effects on hearing by CM & AP threshold determinations. Preliminary data on the immune response to viral infections of the inner ear has shown that inner ear immunity protects the cochlear from hearing loss and the inflammatory effects of the virus. We will further characterize the kinetics of this immune response and immunoglobulin classes which are generated. These studies will provide a better understanding of inner ear immunoresponsiveness and the effects of this response on cochlear function.