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Perilymphatic fistula (PLF) is defined as an abnormal communication between the fluid (perilymph)-filled space of the inner ear and the air-filled space of the middle ear and mastoid, or cranial spaces. PLF is located in the round or oval window, fractured bony labyrinth, microfissures, anomalous footplate, and can occur after head trauma or barotrauma, chronic inflammation, or in otic capsule dehiscence. This clinical entity was initially proposed more than a century ago, yet it has remained a topic of controversy for more than 50 years. The difficulty of making a definitive diagnosis of PLF has caused a long-standing debate regarding its prevalence, natural history, management and even its very existence. In this present study, we will discuss the symptoms, physiological tests (focusing on vestibular assessment) and imaging studies. Referring to a previous criticism, we will share our classification of PLF into 4 categories. Furthermore, we will summarize a nationwide survey using a novel and widely used biomarker (Cochlin-tomoprotein [CTP]) for PLF diagnosis in Japan and present the results of the new diagnostic criteria. PLF is surgically correctable by sealing the fistula, and appropriate recognition and treatment of PLF can improve hearing and balance, and in turn, improve the quality of life of afflicted patients. Therefore, PLF is an especially important treatable disease for otologists., (© 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

The molecular mechanisms underlying age-related hearing loss are unknown, and currently, there is no treatment for this condition. Recent studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) and age-related diseases are intimately linked, suggesting that some miRNAs may present attractive therapeutic targets. In this study, we obtained 8 human temporal bones from 8 elderly subjects at brain autopsy in order to investigate the expression profile of miRNAs in the inner ear with miRNA arrays. A mean of 478 different miRNAs were expressed in the samples, of which 348 were commonly expressed in all 8 samples. Of these, levels of 16 miRNAs significantly differed between young elderly and old elderly subjects. miRNAs, which play important roles in inner ear development, were detected in all samples, i.e., in both young and old elderly subjects, whether with or without hearing loss. Our results suggest that these miRNAs play important roles not only in development, but also in the maintenance of inner ear homeostasis., (© 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Cochlin, a product of the COCH gene, is a major constituent of the inner ear extracellular matrix. Type II collagen, a protein that contributes to structural stability, is also a component of this extracellular matrix. In this study, using the postembedding immunogold method, we demonstrate the localization of cochlin and type II collagen in the cochlear duct at the ultrastructural level. The immunolabeling of cochlin was observed in the fibrillar substance in the spiral limbus, beneath the inner sulcus cells, and in the basilar membrane, the spiral prominence and the spiral ligament. Immunolabeling of type II collagen was observed in the same fibrillar substance in the extracellular matrix of the cochlear duct. This localization of cochlin is consistent with the expected localization of type II collagen. The localization of cochlin and type II collagen indicates the important roles played by these proteins in the hearing process., (Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: Perilymphatic fistula (PLF), defined as an abnormal communication between the inner and middle ear, presents with a symptomatology of hearing loss and vestibular disorder that is indistinguishable from a number of other inner ear diseases. Methods of diagnosis remain controversial. We have previously shown that Cochlin-tomoprotein (CTP) is selectively detected in the perilymph. To establish a definite diagnostic test for PLF using CTP as a biochemical marker, we examined the diagnostic performance of the CTP detection test., Methods: CTP detection test was performed by Western blot using recombinant human CTP (rhCTP) as a spiked standard. We evaluated the specificity of the CTP detection test by testing non-PLF cases. To describe the limitations of the test, we tested samples from patients with middle ear infection. We also studied the stability of CTP protein by storing the samples at room temperature (25 degrees C) or 4 degrees C for 55 days. The effects of repeated freezing and thawing were also evaluated. Serially diluted perilymph was tested to find out the detection limit of CTP., Findings: We have established a standardized CTP detection test using high (0.27 ng) and low (0.13 ng) spiked standards of rhCTP in Western blotting. Middle ear lavages (MEL) from 54 of 55 non-PLF cases were negative in the CTP detection test, i.e. the specificity of the test is 98.2%. MEL from 43 out of 46 cases with chronic suppurative otitis media or middle ear cholesteatoma were negative for CTP. CTP is a stable protein and detection was not affected by the storage, or freezing and thawing. The detection limit of perilymph was 0.161 microl/lane in an average of 5 samples., Interpretation: CTP is a stable perilymph-specific protein, and this CTP detection could be the first clinically established diagnostic tool to detect PLF with a high specificity. PLF is surgically correctable by sealing the fistula. Appropriate recognition and treatment of PLF can improve hearing and balance in afflicted patients., (2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Proteomic analysis of inner ear proteins revealed unique properties of cochlin, encoded by the COCH gene. We detected 3 cochlin isoforms, p63s, p44s and p40s, in the inner ear tissue and a short 16-kDa isoform, cochlin-tomoprotein (CTP), in the perilymph. The role of the cochlin isoforms has not been elucidated. To improve our understanding of the mechanism of cochlin isoform expression, we investigated rat cochlin mRNA expression in the inner ear and other organs. We performed RNA-ligation-mediated amplification of cDNA ends (RLM-RACE) using RNA isolated from the inner ear and spleen of rats, which are known to express abundant cochlin mRNA. We also examined the expression profile of full-length cochlin mRNA by nested RT-PCR in the cerebrum, cerebellum/brain stem, eye, inner ear, thyroid gland, thymus gland, lung, heart, liver, spleen, adrenal gland, kidney and blood. We verified CTP expression in rat perilymph by Western blot. By RLM-RACE, alternately spliced variants of cochlin mRNA with 3 different lengths were detected (2442, 2008 and 724 bp). The two longer mRNAs encode full-length cochlin with different polyadenylation signals in the 3'-untranslated region, which are expressed both in the ear and spleen. The short variant encodes the limulus factor C, cochlin, late gestation lung protein (LCCL) domain and the N-terminal sequence of the von Willebrand factor A (vWFA1) domain, and this variant was detected only in the ear. All 3 variants have the same transcriptional start site. By RT-PCR, we found that full-length cochlin was expressed in all organs examined, with a splice variant in the heart. By Western blot, we detected short isoforms (11-17 kDa) in the perilymph. Cochlin isoform formation is regulated, at least in part, by alternative splicing at the transcriptional level. The short mRNA was detected only in the inner ear, and this variant may provide a clue to understanding the formation and function of cochlin isoforms., (Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: Perilymphatic fistula (PLF) is an abnormal connection between the inner and middle ear. A procedure for obtaining definite proof of a PLF remains elusive, and methods of diagnosis remain controversial. To date, there is no clinically relevant biochemical marker for perilymph leakage. Using proteomic analysis of inner ear proteins, we have previously found unique properties of cochlin, encoded by the COCH gene. We detected 3 cochlin isoforms (p63s, p44s and p40s) in the inner ear tissue and a short 16-kDa isoform of cochlin-tomoprotein (CTP) in the perilymph. Since cochlin was found to be highly specific to the inner ear, we speculated that CTP might also be specific to the perilymph. The aim of this study was to determine whether CTP, a novel perilymph-specific protein, could be used as a marker for the diagnosis of PLF., Methods: By Western blotting, we investigated the specificity of CTP expression in a range of body fluids that included perilymph, serum, saliva and cerebrospinal fluid. To elucidate the detection limit of CTP, serially diluted recombinant human (rh)CTP as well as human perilymph was tested., Results: CTP was selectively expressed in all 20 perilymph samples tested, but not in 77 samples of the other body fluids. The detection limit of rhCTP was 0.27 ng or 0.022 microl of perilymph per well on Western blot analysis., Conclusion: The results strongly suggest that CTP can be a specific marker of perilymph leakage. Moreover, CTP has the potential to be a biochemical marker that allows a definitive diagnosis of the etiology of PLF-related hearing loss and vestibular disorders., (Copyright (C) 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

The COCH gene mutated in autosomal dominant sensorineural deafness (DFNA9) encodes cochlin, a major constituent of the inner ear extracellular matrix. Cochlin constitutes 70% of the inner ear protein and cochlin isoforms can be classified into three subgroups, p63s, p44s and p40s. Symptoms of some DFNA9 patients are consistent with those of Ménière's disease. Here, we report the expression of cochlin in the vestibular organ of rats using isoform-specific antibodies that recognize all three isoforms. Cochlin is highly expressed in the stromata of the maculae of otolithic organs and cristae of semicircular canals, and in the channels in the bony labyrinth that transmit the dendritic innervation to the cristae and maculae. Cochlin cannot be detected in the sensory cells, dark cells, nor in the acellular structures, otolithic membrane or in the cupula. These findings support the theory that deposition of acidophilic substance in the inner ear caused by mutation of cochlin can induce a secondary retrograde dendritic degeneration of the vestibular nerves.

In patients with middle ear malformations, one can expect an improvement in hearing following ear surgery. Thus, it is crucial for the ear surgeon to have an increased awareness of this disease. For a better understanding of this condition, 38 patients who underwent ear surgery were studied. All patients had congenital ossicular malformations but with an intact external ear. On the basis of our intra-operative observations, 15 cases were assigned to group A (single malformation) and 23 cases to group B (multiple malformations). The pre-operative air-conduction threshold in group B patients was higher than that in group A. Pre-operatively in group A 2 out of 20 ears had mild, 17 had moderate and 1 had severe hearing loss (HL). In group B, out of 25 ears, 3 had mild, 13 had moderate and 9 had severe HL. Post-operatively in group A, 2 had normal hearing, 16 had mild, 2 had moderate and none had severe HL. In group B, postoperatively 1 had normal hearing, 18 had mild, 4 moderate and 2 severe HL. Therefore, in patients with multiple middle ear malformations, the surgeon should know that the prospect of an improvement in the hearing threshold is rather low even after surgical reconstruction., (Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel)

The aim of the present study was to establish an animal model of autoimmune labyrinthitis using heterologous inner ear antigen (IEAg) and to elucidate whether the experimentally induced labyrinthitis could be passively transferred. Cochlear and vestibular membranous labyrinthine tissues from bovine temporal bones were used as IEAg. Donor mice were inoculated intracutaneously at multiple sites with an emulsion consisting of equal parts of IEAg and complete Freund's adjuvant. After 10 days, mononuclear cells were collected from lymph nodes, spleen and blood of the donor mice and injected intravenously into naive recipient mice. Cellular infiltration was observed in the perilymphatic space of the cochlea of all donor and recipient mice. Endolymphatic hydrops was also observed in 63% of donor and 42% of recipient mice. These findings suggest that the experimentally induced labyrinthitis observed in this animal model was probably due to an autoimmune reaction to the IEAg and was passively transferred by a cell-mediated immune reaction., (Copyright 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel)

This study has investigated immune injuries to the inner ear auditory system of guinea pigs. Following secondary antigen challenge to the endolymphatic sac, the mean hearing threshold significantly increased in the early phase from day 1 to day 3 and thereafter recovered. In the early phase, hearing threshold significantly increased simultaneously to the elevation of perilymph antibody levels. The size of hydrops was not the only factor that causes an increase in hearing loss as well as in AP/SP ratio. Scale-out hearing loss was seen in 2 animals with severe degeneration of the stria vascularis as well as the organ of Corti associated with the inflammatory cellular infiltration especially in the perilymphatic space, even in the absence of keyhole limpet hemocyanin antigen in the cochlea. On the other hand, control animals did not suffer hearing loss. These results suggest that an immune reaction in the endolymphatic sac is a possible pathogenic etiology of Ménière's disease or sudden deafness.

Following direct antigen challenge to the endolymphatic sac (sac), the relation of caloric test results and spontaneous nystagmus to the histological changes of the sensory epithelium of the vestibular organ and perilymph antibody levels was investigated in the guinea pig. In a secondary keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) challenge to the sac, irritative nystagmus was followed by paralytic nystagmus and a suppression of caloric reaction. These findings correlated well with the degree of degeneration of the sensory epithelium of the vestibular organ and the levels of perilymph antibody. On the other hand, neither phosphate-buffered saline inoculation nor primary KLH challenge to the sac nor a secondary KLH challenge to the intradural space resulted in a disturbance of the vestibular function. These results suggest that the immune response of the sac may possibly be an important key to the pathogenesis of Ménière's disease.