Immunohistological analysis of eotaxin and RANTES in the model animal of eosinophilic otitis media.

Background: The most crucial clinical problem of Eosinophilic Otitis Media (EOM) is sensorineural hearing loss. A previous report revealed that repeated antigen stimulation of middle ear causes eosinophilic inflammation not only in the middle ear but also in the inner ear.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the mechanism of eosinophil infiltration to the inner ear in the animal model of EOM.

An experimental study of inner ear injury in an animal model of eosinophilic otitis media.

Conclusion: As the periods of intratympanic injection of ovalbumin (OVA) to the middle ear became longer, marked eosinophil infiltration in the perilymphatic space was observed. Moreover severe morphological damage of the organ of Corti was observed in the 28-day antigen-stimulation side. These results indicate that eosinophilic inflammation occurred in the inner ear and caused profound hearing loss.

The role of periostin in eosinophilic otitis media.

Conclusion: We investigated the localization of periostin in middle ear specimens from patients with eosinophilic otitis media (EOM) and from a newly constructed animal model for EOM. Periostin-positive immunostaining was observed in the middle ear sections obtained from the EOM patients. Immunoreactivity for periostin was also seen in the animal model.