Sera of 413 patients with inner ear diseases were examined for ELISA binding to mouse laminin and compared to a normal group. Strongly enhanced antilaminin antibody reactions were observed in a large number of patients with sensorineural hearing loss (68%), tinnitus (60%), and sudden deafness (46%), but not in those with Meniere's disease (14%) or normal individuals (8%). Absorption experiments demonstrated that these antibodies are also responsible for the antisarcolemmal antibody pattern in the immunofluorescence test and for the reaction with pig kidney microsomes in the ELISA. Immunochemical studies showed that laminin binding of high or low titer in sera from patients and normal individuals is due to the Galα1-3Gal epitope present in N-linked oligosaccharides of mouse laminin. No reactions were observed with human laminin, which lacks this epitope. The findings suggest that high levels of antibodies against carbohydrate structures are triggered by persistent infections, providing some new insights about the possible cause of these diseases.
ArnoldWJ. Experimental and clinical approach to autoimmune diseases of the inner ear. In: VeldmanJEMcCabeBFHuizingEHMygindN, eds. Immunobiology, autoimmunity, transplantation in otorhinolaryngology. 1st ed.Berkeley, Calif: Kugler Publications, 1985: 131–7.
6.
PlesterDZanettiFBergPAKleinR. Diagnostic laboratory tools for immune-mediated sensorineural hearing loss. In: Immunobiology, histophysiology and tumor immunology in otolaryngology. Proceedings 2nd International Academic Conference, Utrecht, the Netherlands, 1986. Berkeley, Calif: Kugler Publications, 1987: 33–7.
7.
EliesWPlesterD. Sensorineural hearing loss and immunity. In: VeldmanJEMcCabeBFHuizingEHMygindN, eds. Immunobiology, autoimmunity, transplantation in otorhinolaryngology. 1st ed.Berkeley, Calif: Kugler Publications, 1985: 111–6.
8.
CossioPMLaguensRPDiezCSzarfmanASegalAAranaRM. Chagasic cardiopathy. Antibodies reacting with plasma membranes of striated muscle and endothelial cells. Circulation1974; 50: 1252–9.
9.
KhouryELDiezCCossioPMAranaRM. Heterophil nature of EVI antibody in Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Clin Immunol Immunopathol1983; 27: 283–8.
10.
SzarfmanATerranovaVPRennardSI. Antibodies to laminin in Chagas disease. J Exp Med1982; 155: 1161–71.
11.
TimplRRohdeHRobeyP GehronRennardSIFoidartJMMartinGR. Laminin — A glycoprotein from basement membranes. J Biol Chem1979; 254: 9933–7.
12.
AvilaJLRojasMRieberM. Antibodies to laminin in American cutaneous leishmaniasis. Infect Immun1984; 43: 402–6.
13.
KefalidesNAPeggMTOhnoNPoon-KingTZabrieskieJFillitH. Antibodies to basement membrane collagen and to laminin are present in sera from patients with poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis. J Exp Med1986; 163: 588–602.
14.
FoidartJMHuntJLapiereCM. Antibodies to laminin in preeclampsia. Kidney Int1986; 29: 1050–7.
15.
AvilaJLRojasMVelazquez-AvilaGvon der MarkHTimplR. Antibodies to basement membrane protein nidogen in Chagas disease and American cutaneous leishmaniasis. J Clin Microbiol1986; 24: 775–8.
16.
TowbinHRosenfelderGWieslanderJ. Circulating antibodies to mouse laminin in Chagas disease, American cutaneous leishmaniasis and normal individuals recognize terminal galactosyl(α1–3)-galactose epitopes. J Exp Med1987; 166: 419–32.
GaliliURachmilewitzEAPelegAFlechnerI. A unique natural human IgG antibody with anti-α-galactosyl specificity. J Exp Med1984; 160: 1519–31.
19.
GaliliUMacherBABuehlerJShohetSB. Human natural anti-galactosyl IgG. II. The specific recognition of α(1–3)-linked galactose residues. J Exp Med1985; 162: 573–82.
20.
PaulssonMAumailleyMDeutzmannRTimplRBeckKEngelJ. Laminin-nidogen complex: Extraction with chelating agents and structural characterization. Eur J Biochem1987; 166: 11–9.
21.
WeberPBrennerJStechemesserE. Characterization and clinical relevance of a new complement-fixing antibody — Anti-M8 — In patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. Hepatology1986; 6: 553–9.
22.
MackayIRRittsRE. WHO handbook of immunological techniques. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1979.
23.
EngvallE. Enzyme immunoassay ELISA and EMIT. Methods Enzymol1980; 70: 419–39.
24.
TimplR. Antibodies to collagens and procollagens. Methods Enzymol1982; 82: 472–98.
25.
TowbinHStaehelinTGordonJ. Electrophoretic transfer of proteins from polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose sheets: Procedure and some applications. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA1979; 76: 4350–4.
26.
ArumughamRGHsiehTCYTanzerMLLaineRA. Structures of the asparagine-linked sugar chains of laminin. Biochim Biophys Acta1986; 883: 112–26.
27.
GaliliUClarkMRShohetSBBuehlerJMacherBA. Evolutionary relationship between the natural anti-Gal antibody and the Galα1–3Gal epitope in primates. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA1987; 84: 1369–71.
