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. 2022 Aug;42(4):364-371.
doi: 10.14639/0392-100X-N2074.

A potential serological biomarker for inner ear pathologies: OTOLIN-1

Emilio Avallone  1 , Heike Schmitt  1   2 , Giorgio Lilli  3 , Athanasia Warnecke  1   2 , Anke Lesinski-Schiedat  1 , Thomas Lenarz  1   2 , Kerstin Willenborg  1
Affiliations

A potential serological biomarker for inner ear pathologies: OTOLIN-1

Emilio Avallone et al. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2022 Aug.

Abstract
in English, Italian

Objective: The goal of the study was to determine whether the level of OTOLIN-1, a protein whose expression is highly restricted to the inner ear,is increased in the body fluids of patients with inner ear disorders in comparison to healthy subjects.

Methods: In the preliminary part of the study, OTOLIN-1 levels were measured in the serum, urine, and saliva of patients with an acute onset of Ménière´s disease and in healthy individuals. Subsequently, only serum OTOLIN-1 levels were taken into account and were compared between patients with acute onset of Ménière´s disease, sudden hearing loss, vestibular neuritis and healthy subjects.

Results: The most reliable diagnostic parameter was OTOLIN-1 levels in serum. Serum samples of patients with Ménière's disease and sudden hearing loss showed significantly higher OTOLIN-1 levels than those from healthy individuals. In addition, there was no significant difference between the serum concentration of OTOLIN-1 in patients with vestibular neuritis and the control group.

Conclusions: Serum levels of OTOLIN-1 can potentially be used as a biomarker for acute onset of inner ear disorders due to its significant increase in patients with acute Meniere´s disease and sudden hearing loss in comparison to healthy individuals.

Un potenziale biomarcatore sierologico per le patologie dell’orecchio interno: OTOLIN-1.

Obiettivo: Scopo principale dello studio è stato determinare se il livello di OTOLIN-1, una proteina la cui espressione è altamente ristretta all’orecchio interno, aumenti nei fluidi corporei di pazienti con diversi disturbi dell’orecchio interno, rispetto a soggetti sani.

Metodi: Nella parte preliminare dello studio, la concentrazione di OTOLIN-1 è stata misurata nel siero, urina e saliva di pazienti con esordio acuto della malattia di Ménière e di soggetti sani. In seguito, solo i livelli di OTOLIN-1 nel siero sono stati considerati e paragonati in pazienti con malattia di Ménière, ipoacusia improvvisa, neurite vestibolare e soggetti sani.

Risultati: Il parametro diagnostico più affidabile è stato il livello sierico di OTOLIN-1. La concentrazione sierica di OTOLIN-1 nei pazienti affetti da malattia di Ménière e ipoacusia improvvisa era significativamente più alta rispetto agli individui sani. I livelli della proteina nel siero dei pazienti con neurite vestibolare e del gruppo di controllo non differivano significativamente.

Conclusioni: La concentrazione sierica di OTOLIN-1 può essere potenzialmente utilizzata come un biomarcatore per i disturbi dell’orecchio interno, dato l’incremento significativo in pazienti con malattia di Ménière e ipoacusia improvvisa rispetto a individui sani.

Keywords: Ménière disease; OTOLIN-1; biomarker; inner ear; sudden hearing loss.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
OTOLIN-1 levels in serum (A), saliva (B) and urine (C) of Ménière’s disease patients (MD) and healthy controls. Columns and error bars represent mean values ± SD. Individual data are shown with dots.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
OTOLIN-1 levels in the serum of Ménière’s disease patients (MD), patients with sudden hearing loss (SHL), patients with vestibular neuritis (VN), and healthy controls. Columns and error bars represent mean values ± SD. Individual data are shown with dots.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
OTOLIN-1 levels in healthy subjects (A), MD (B) and SHL (C) divided in different age groups.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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